Awujale: Ruling House urges lifting of selection suspension

The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu Ode has voiced strong concerns over the prolonged suspension of the selection process for the new Awujale of Ijebuland. Chairman Alhaji Abdulateef Owoyemi, alongside other leaders of the ruling house, expressed frustration that the Ogun State government has prevented the designated kingmakers from fulfilling their traditional duty. This delay, they argue, is causing significant unhappiness among the residents of Ijebuland, who eagerly await the announcement of a successor to the late Oba Sikiru Adetona.

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All of these distinguished and carefully selected kingmakers and Ijebu Ode high chiefs have served the Awujale Palace and Ijebuland in various important capacities for several decades during the reign of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

Owoyemi highlighted that recent investigations by the state police command into allegations of bribery and inducement against the kingmakers have concluded without any evidence of wrongdoing. He emphasized the impeccable integrity of the kingmakers, who were carefully selected by the late Oba Adetona himself. These individuals, he stated, have served the Ijebuland community with utmost loyalty and wisdom for decades, and their commitment to tradition and the best interests of the people is unquestionable.

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None of them has ever been found wanting, and each one has consistently discharged every responsibility entrusted to him with utmost loyalty, wisdom, integrity, and always in the best interest of the crown, Ijebu Ode citizens, and the entire Ijebuland and Ogun State.

The ruling house pointed out that the suspension, which began on January 21, 2026, stems from what they describe as speculative and frivolous petitions from individuals seeking to sabotage the process. They noted that members of the Afobaje Council and family heads have been subjected to intermittent questioning by both the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state, adding to the uncertainty and anxiety surrounding the succession.

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For more than three months now, since January 21, 2026, the Ogun State Government and its officials have halted the Awujale selection process over speculative and frivolous petitions from persons who do not wish the Fusengbuwa Ruling House well and seek to sabotage the process.

With key cultural festivals like Eid-el-Kabir and Ojude Oba approaching, the expectation for the announcement of the new Awujale has intensified. The Fusengbuwa Ruling House is appealing directly to Governor Dapo Abiodun and President Bola Tinubu to intervene and lift the embargo. They believe that allowing the Dr. Sunny Kuku-led kingmakers to proceed with the selection from the list of 94 princes and one princess is crucial for upholding the traditions and ensuring the smooth continuation of leadership in Ijebuland.

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The Afobaje Council members and family heads have intermittently been invited for questioning by both the police and the Department of State Services in the state.