The head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Abdulateef Owoyemi, has appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to lift the embargo placed on the selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebuland.
Owoyemi, a former national president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, said the indefinite suspension of the process had generated widespread frustration among members of the royal family and indigenes of Ijebuland, both at home and in the diaspora.
In an interview with a Punch correspondent, the family head acknowledged the governor’s support for due process but urged that “no distraction” should be allowed to derail the emergence of a new monarch.
According to him, the suspension has left the people in uncertainty at a time when cultural and religious obligations demand clear leadership.
“Ramadan has begun, and after that we will host the annual Ojude Oba during Eid-el-Kabir – a gathering of profound religious and cultural importance,” Owoyemi said. “Everyone is waiting. The people want the new Awujale to be installed so preparations can proceed with proper coordination.”
He described the kingmakers as “men of integrity” who would not compromise the sanctity of the Awujale stool, insisting that the process must be allowed to run its course without further delay.
Government Maintains Suspension
The Ogun State Government halted the selection process for the second time last month, citing numerous petitions from security agencies and stakeholders.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, the government clarified that the suspension followed concerns raised over the integrity of the process.
The government also dismissed rumours that it had endorsed Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye as the next Awujale following a purported selection by the Ifa oracle.
“The government is not involved in, nor has it endorsed, any such claim,” the statement read, stressing that the selection and installation of the Awujale must strictly comply with established laws, procedures, and recognised traditional customs.
It described suggestions of official endorsement through informal or spiritual channels as “false and misleading.”
Allegations and Counterclaims
The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years.
At a nomination meeting held at Bisrod Hall, GRA Ijebu Ode, 95 candidates, comprising 94 princes and one princess from the Fusengbuwa ruling house, were nominated before the kingmakers, led by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu land, Dr Sunny Kuku, were poised to commence deliberations when the process was halted.
Meanwhile, Ademorin Aliu Kuye, a member of the House of Representatives representing Somolu Federal Constituency in Lagos State and one of the aspirants, has denied allegations that he paraded himself as Awujale-elect.
In a statement signed by Kunle Johnson Adebajo, princes and princesses of the Fusengbuwa ruling house accused Kuye of presenting himself as the chosen monarch and commissioning a song in his praise. They described the alleged actions as illegal and capable of inciting unrest.
But Kuye later dismissed the accusations as baseless. He insisted he had never claimed to be Awujale-elect and denied commissioning any song to promote such a narrative.
“I am not desperate to become the next Awujale,” he said, adding that his nomination form was obtained by family members and that he had been reluctant to participate initially.
A lawyer of 37 years and a two-term federal lawmaker, Kuye said he would not engage in conduct that contravenes chieftaincy laws or established procedures.
Cultural Stakes and Public Expectation
The prolonged suspension of the process has heightened tension in Ijebuland, where the Awujale occupies a central position in cultural, religious, and socio-political life.
With the globally celebrated Ojude Oba festival approaching, stakeholders say clarity and leadership are urgently required to maintain tradition and cohesion.
For now, the Ogun State Government maintains that due process must prevail. But as pressure mounts from the Fusengbuwa ruling house and the wider Ijebu community, attention remains fixed on Governor Abiodun’s next move.
