Pandemonium broke out on Sunday as the crisis between the children of the late Oniru of Iruland, Oba Idowu Abiodun; and his successor, Oba Omogbolahan Lawal, degenerated into violent confrontations.
The violent clash reportedly broke out over the control of some properties in highbrow Oniru, Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
It was alleged that following the installation of Lawal as the 15th Oniru last month, the children of the late king continued to maintain control over some of the properties worth billions of naira allegedly belonging to the royalty.
The new king in a statement by his lawyer, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), subsequently asked all banks housing funds belonging to the royal family to immediately freeze all the accounts of the family.
The new monarch also called on all tenants and lessees to stop transacting with any individual.
The family of the late monarch, it was learnt, continued to exercise control over some of the properties, insisting that they belonged to them and not to the royal family.
Trouble was said to have started early on Sunday when Oba Lawal ordered some palace officials to post public notices on some of the properties under contention.
Some thugs believed to be loyal to one of the sons of the late Oniru, Tijani, was said to have led his own men to beat up those posting the notices on the properties.
A resident said, “On Sunday morning, the new Oniru’s boys went about posting public notices on some of the properties but TJ (Tijani) got his boys to beat them up and chase them away. Later in the day, as TJ was making his way into Millennium Estate, the boys regrouped and beat him up.”
In a short video clip that was uploaded on social media, the palace guards who are clad in black shirts, slap him as he flees into Millennium Estate.
Armed policemen are also seen trying to pacify the irate men.
It was learnt that after the fracas, some sons of the late Oniru stormed the palace to register their grievances but they were kicked out by the security guards.
The Oniru monarchy is one of the wealthiest in the South-West with massive investments in real estate worth billions of naira and also owns British International School, Lekki, one of the most expensive academic institutions in Nigeria.
