- Oba Olaniyan died in Houston, Texas, at age 55.
- The first-class Ogun State monarch passed away following a successful surgery related to difficulty in swallowing.
- Oba Olaniyan ascended the throne in 2020.
The Onipokia of Ipokia Kingdom, HRM Oba Yisa ‘Sola Adeniyi Olaniyan (JP), has joined his ancestors at the age of 55.
EKO HOT BLOG gathered that the first-class monarch died in Houston, Texas, on Saturday.
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He passed away following a successful surgery addressing his lingering difficulty in swallowing. Though the exact circumstances that led to his death remain unclear at the time of publishing this report, it is believed to be connected to his swallowing difficulty.
Sources close to Oba Olaniyan told EKO HOT BLOG that he died at St Luke Hospital in downtown Houston, Texas.
His presence in the United States had been known for some months. His last post on Instagram, from April 2026, showed him attending a reception in Houston organised in honour of Nollywood actress Biola Adebayo.
“It was awesome to be part of the warm reception organized for Dr. Biola Adebayo in Houston Texas, in appreciation of her contributions to the entertainment industry & humanitarian/community service. Keep up the good work,” he wrote at the time.
Oba Olaniyan was the 46th Onipokia of Ipokia, one of the most ancient stools in Yewaland and a first-class throne ranked alongside the Alake of Egbaland and the Awujale of Ijebuland. He was born on September 5, 1970, to the family of the late Prince Hamzat Akanbi Olaniyan of the Iwaye Dodo Ruling House, at Ilashe Quarters in Ipokia.
Before ascending the throne, he lived and worked in the United States, where he founded and piloted the Afro-Heritage Broadcasting and Entertainment Awards (AHBEAwards), a platform celebrating Nigerian culture and heritage in the diaspora. On his X profile, the departed traditional ruler described himself as an entertainment mogul and music and movie promoter.
He was unanimously selected from among eight princes of the Iwaye Dodo Ruling House who vied for the stool. Due to a combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and a political transition in Ogun State, he spent 15 months in seclusion before his formal installation.
He was officially presented the staff of office by Governor Dapo Abiodun on August 12, 2020 — the first monarch installed under that administration — with his coronation ceremony following on September 5, 2020, coinciding with his 50th birthday.
Just last year, in September 2025, he marked his fifth coronation anniversary alongside his 55th birthday in a celebration that drew traditional rulers, political figures, and dignitaries to Ipokia.
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The Onipokia held the second-highest rank in the Yewa Traditional Council, after only the Olu of Ilaro as Paramount Ruler of Yewaland. He is survived by his queen, Olori Folasade.
More details to follow…
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