The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu Ode in Ogun State has appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to lift the suspension placed on the selection of a new Awujale. The head of the ruling house, Abdulateef Owoyemi, said members of the royal family and indigenes at home and abroad are frustrated over the indefinite halt. He urged the government to allow the kingmakers to complete the process without further delay.
Owoyemi said the continued suspension has left the people anxious, especially as major cultural and religious events approach. He noted that Ramadan has begun and the annual Ojude Oba festival will follow during Eid-el-Kabir, raising concerns about who will coordinate preparations without a reigning monarch. According to him, the people are eager to see a new Awujale installed.
The Ogun State Government had stopped the selection process last month, citing multiple petitions from security agencies and other stakeholders. Officials said the suspension was necessary to address concerns raised over the process. The government also denied endorsing any candidate for the vacant stool.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at the age of 91 after 65 years on the throne. During a nomination meeting in Ijebu Ode, 95 candidates — including 94 princes and one princess from the Fusengbuwa ruling house — were put forward before the process was halted.
The government dismissed rumours that Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye had been selected through an Ifa oracle and endorsed by the state. Authorities described such claims as false and misleading, insisting that the process would strictly follow laid-down laws and recognised customs.
Members of the Fusengbuwa ruling house accused Kuye of parading himself as the Awujale-elect and commissioning a praise song to that effect. They described the alleged actions as illegal and capable of causing unrest in Ijebuland. The family called on the government to caution him and his supporters.
Kuye, who represents Somolu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, denied the allegations. He said he never presented himself as Awujale-elect and described the claims as baseless. According to him, he respects the law and would not engage in actions that violate chieftaincy procedures.
He also denied commissioning any song praising him as Awujale-elect, suggesting it could have been the work of detractors. Kuye said he was not desperate for the throne and explained that his family purchased the nomination form on his behalf. He maintained that he supports the government’s position and would abide by the lawful process.
As tensions continue, the Fusengbuwa ruling house insists the selection must be concluded promptly to give Ijebu land a new monarch. They urged the state government to remove the embargo and allow the kingmakers to finish their task in line with tradition and the law.