Royal families take Ogun, Ex-ICAN chief to court over Awujale dispute

Amid Awujale dispute, royal families sue Ogun and ex-ICAN boss, challenging claims to Fusengbuwa house leadership ahead of king’s succession

A royal succession row has taken a legal turn as three prominent families from the Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu Ode have dragged the Ogun State Government, a former ICAN President, and others to court over a contentious leadership claim.

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The legal action marks the latest escalation in the Awujale dispute, with the Adeberu, Olufadi, and Ayora/Tunwase branches insisting that Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi is not the rightful Olori Ebi (family head) of the ruling house.

Their suit, filed on September 17, 2025, at the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu Ode, argues that Owoyemi lacks ancestral ties to the historic Ile-Nla compound and should be barred from representing the family in any leadership capacity.

The Fusengbuwa house is historically next in line to produce the Awujale, the paramount traditional ruler of Ijebuland.

The position became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025.

Adedokun Ajidagba, speaking for the plaintiffs, claimed his appointment as Olori Ebi was properly ratified and communicated to state authorities and the late monarch in November 2023.

He maintains that Owoyemi hails from Ikoro-Ekiti, not Ijebu Ode, and thus lacks the lineage required for the role.

In contrast, Owoyemi cites a 2024 ruling from the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, which affirmed his leadership of the Fusengbuwa family, overturning an earlier 2018 judgment.

He asserts he has served as the Olori Ebi since 2013, following the death of his predecessor, Prince Fasasi Adeyemi.

As the Awujale dispute continues to generate tension within Ijebu’s royal circles, both factions remain firm in their claims, further deepening the crisis over the next steps in the traditional succession process.

Owoyemi insists his leadership has legal and familial backing, referencing recent reconciliation within the ruling house and support from the late Oba, who reportedly reinstated him into royal functions in February 2025.

With the court yet to fix a hearing date, observers believe the judgment could significantly influence the process of selecting the next Awujale and set a precedent for resolving similar traditional leadership disputes across Nigeria.

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The dispute has now become a focal point in both royal and legal circles, with implications that extend beyond Ijebuland into broader questions of heritage, governance, and tradition in modern Nigeria.