2025 in Review: Power shifts, tragedies, and royal transitions in the South-west

The year 2025 unfolded as one of the most eventful in recent South-west history. Political realignments, royal transitions, landmark court decisions, financial scandals, unexpected deaths, and environmental crises shaped public discourse across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states.

Below are some of the remarkable events in the outgone year.

Lagos Assembly leadership upheaval

Lagos politics opened the year with intense speculation around the future of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Internal dissent reportedly grew within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following allegations about Mr Obasa’s handling of legislative finances and political alliances.

On 13 January, Mr Obasa was removed by a two-thirds majority of the House members while he was on holiday, ending his over a decade-long career as Speaker. The Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, was appointed by the lawmakers as the new speaker of the assembly.

However, a combination of backing from President Bola Tinubu, influential party figures, strategic concessions to dissenting lawmakers, and Mr Obasa’s own ability to rally loyalists spurred him to retain control. By 3 March, he was reinstated as speaker.

His re-emergence reaffirmed the entrenched power dynamics in Lagos politics, where loyalty networks and party hierarchy often override internal agitation.

Adegoke murder case

In one of the most high-profile criminal rulings in the South-west in 2025, the Court of Appeal in Akure upheld the death sentence of Ramon Adedoyin, the owner of Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Ile-Ife, Osun State, for the murder of postgraduate student Timothy Adegoke.

Mr Adegoke, a 37-year-old former Master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University, travelled to Ile-Ife on 5 November 2021 to sit his MBA examination and lodged at the hotel owned by Mr Adedoyin. His body was later discovered in a shallow grave and a police investigation led to the prosecution of Mr Adedoyin and six hotel staff members.

In May 2023, an Osun State High Court in Osogbo convicted Mr Adedoyin and three of his staff members – Adeniyi Aderogba, Oyetunde Kazeem and one other – on multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful killing, tampering with evidence and interfering with a corpse. They were sentenced to death by hanging. Three other staff members were acquitted, and a hotel receptionist was convicted separately for manufacturing evidence.

Mr Adedoyin appealed, challenging both the conviction and some orders of the lower court. But on 23 January 2025, the Court of Appeal ruled that the original conviction and death sentence would stand, dismissing the appeal in large part. The appellate court held that the trial court properly evaluated the evidence and that there was ample justification for the sentence.

Alaafin controversy

The succession to the revered Alaafin of Oyo throne triggered months of tension. Following the prolonged vacancy of the seat after Oba Lamidi Adeyemi’s death in 2022, the Oyo State Government announced Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin.

But the government soon came under fire over an allegation that it ignored the recommendation from the Oyomesi (kingmakers). Petitions, media briefings, threats of litigation and actual litigation followed.

Despite the unrest, Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration insisted the appointment was final. Officials argued that due process had been followed and accused dissenting factions of attempting to politicise the process. The government’s insistence set the stage for a coronation amid legal disputes and heightened community emotions.

Lucky Aiyedatiwa sworn in as Ondo governor

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was formally inaugurated as the seventh democratically elected governor of Ondo State on 24 February 2025, in a ceremony held at the Ondo State Sports Complex in Akure, the state capital. His swearing-in marked the beginning of his first full four-year term after completing the remaining term of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu following his death in December 2023.

Governor Aiyedatiwa, who had served as deputy governor to Mr Akeredolu from 2021 until 2023, stepped into office as governor after his principal’s passing and was subsequently elected in the 16 November 2024 governorship poll on the APC platform.

He won decisively with 366,781 votes, defeating his closest rival, former deputy governor Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 117,845 votes. Governor Aiyedatiwa pledged continuity in governance and a more reconciliatory political atmosphere. He immediately reshuffled the executive council and reopened stalled discussions on industrial development, coastal security, and the future of Ondo’s deep seaport project.

CBEX saga

The collapse of CBEX, an online investment platform promising daily returns from crypto trading and commodities, became one of the region’s largest financial scams in 2025.

Thousands of subscribers across Lagos, Oyo and Ogun reported being unable to withdraw funds for weeks before the platform eventually went offline.

Victims described returns ranging from 10 per cent to 30 per cent monthly, classic indicators of a Ponzi structure.

Several coordinators were arrested after protests in Lagos and Ibadan, though key operators remained untraceable.

Awujale’s death

Ijebuland plunged into mourning following the death of its traditional ruler, the Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning traditional rulers. His passing led to dramatic scenes as traditionalists and certain palace factions allegedly disagreed on the burial protocols.

Reports of restricted access, internal disagreements over rites, and early maneuvering for succession created public anxiety. The Ijebu traditional council later appealed for calm, insisting that processes would follow centuries-old customs.

Olubadan’s death and Ladoja’s historic ascension

Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, also witnessed a royal transition following the death of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin. After weeks of consultations, former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja, the next in succession line, was confirmed and later crowned as the new Olubadan.

His coronation drew massive crowds as well as powerful and influential figures, including President Bola Tinubu, and reignited debate on modernising Ibadan’s century-old succession structure.

Olusegun Awolowo Jr. passes away

The death of Olusegun Awolowo Jr., grandson of the legendary Obafemi Awolowo and former executive director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, shocked the region. Tributes poured in from former presidents, governors, business leaders and civil society groups.

His death revived discussion on the visibility of the Awolowo family in contemporary Nigerian politics and the role of legacy families in governance.

Ogijo pollution

Environmental issues took centre stage following a PREMIUM TIMES investigation, conducted in collaboration with The Examination and The New York Times which uncovered widespread lead poisoning and environmental contamination in Ogijo, Ogun State, caused by poorly regulated battery-recycling factories operating close to residential communities.

The investigation found that residents of Ewu Oloye, Ipetoro and Ewu Eruku lived within a few hundred metres of lead recycling facilities that emit toxic fumes and dump hazardous waste. Laboratory tests commissioned for the investigation showed dangerously elevated blood lead levels among both workers and community members, with some samples reaching over 30 µg/dL, far above safe limits recommended by the World Health Organization.

The report documented unsafe recycling practices, including workers breaking batteries by hand without protective equipment, open-air smelting, and untreated effluents flowing into the soil and water. Homes were coated in black soot, crops failed, and children exhibited symptoms consistent with prolonged lead exposure. Despite years of petitions and complaints from residents, government agencies provided only minimal oversight. Companies operated with near impunity, exploiting regulatory loopholes, while state and federal authorities failed to enforce environmental rules or ensure worker safety.

The PREMIUM TIMES/The Examination investigation triggered an immediate wave of government actions at federal and state levels. NESREA sealed multiple battery-recycling plants in Ogijo, citing hazardous emissions, lack of proper filtration systems and non-compliance with environmental regulations. The House of Representatives also launched a formal inquiry, demanding an emergency response and calling for accountability from regulatory agencies. Ogun and Lagos State governments set up a joint investigative panel, while the Ogun State Government announced free lead testing for residents and began a comprehensive environmental audit to determine the extent of contamination.

Beyond the shutdowns, the investigation forced a broader policy adjustment. Ogun State moved to suspend lead export operations linked to the implicated companies and vowed to keep the recycling plants closed until an independent forensic audit was concluded. Senior officials publicly commended the investigation for exposing longstanding regulatory lapses, and both states began coordinating long-term pollution control measures.

Governor Adeleke defects to Accord

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke formally left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the Accord, announcing the move publicly on 1 December 2025 ahead of the August 2026 governorship election in the state. He officially joined Accord, choosing it as the platform to pursue a second term in office. Governor Adeleke said the Accord’s welfarist ideology aligned with his focus on citizens’ and workers’ well-being, framing the move as necessary for political continuity and effective governance.

The defection instantly elevated Accord’s profile in Osun politics. Its national leadership cleared Mr Adeleke as the party’s governorship candidate for 2026, and party officials reported a surge in membership nationwide following his switch. The move has reshaped the political landscape in Osun, testing whether personal influence or party structure will determine electoral success in the coming polls.

Anthony Joshua survives Lagos–Ibadan Expressway crash

British–Nigerian boxing star Anthony Joshua was involved in a serious road accident on 29 December 2025, along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway near Sagamu, Ogun State, when the Lexus SUV he was travelling in collided with a stationary commercial truck. The crash claimed the lives of two occupants, Latif “Latz” Ayodele and Sina Ghami, both close associates of Mr Joshua, while the former heavyweight champion and the vehicle’s driver escaped with minor injuries and were treated in hospital before Joshua was later discharged to recover at home.

The governors of Lagos and Ogun states jointly expressed condolences to the bereaved families and commended medical personnel involved in his care. In the days following the accident, the Ogun State Police Command arraigned the SUV’s driver, 46-year-old Adeniyi Kayode, on four counts of dangerous, negligent and reckless driving, and driving without a valid licence. He was granted bail with conditions as the case was adjourned to 20 January.

Preliminary findings from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) suggested the crash might have involved excessive speed and wrongful overtaking before the collision with the stationary truck.