Fusengbuwa Ruling House urges Ogun government to lift Awujale selection process suspension and allow kingmakers conclude their work
The head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu Ode, Abdulateef Owoyemi, on Sunday appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to lift the Awujale selection process suspension and allow kingmakers to complete their assignment.
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Abdulateef Owoyemi, a former national president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, said members of the royal family and indigenes of Ijebuland at home and in the diaspora had become frustrated over the indefinite halt imposed by the Ogun State Government.
Abdulateef Owoyemi acknowledged the governor’s support for due process but urged that no distraction should delay the installation of a new Awujale.
Ramadan has begun, and preparations for the annual Ojude Oba festival during Eid el Kabir are expected to follow.
Abdulateef Owoyemi questioned who would coordinate the significant cultural gathering without a substantive monarch.
Abdulateef Owoyemi described the kingmakers as men of integrity who would not compromise the revered throne.
Abdulateef Owoyemi stressed that the process must be concluded swiftly to provide direction and stability.
The Ogun State Government halted the selection process for the second time last month, citing a flood of petitions from security agencies and other stakeholders.
In a statement signed by Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Ganiyu Hamzat, the government dismissed rumours that it had endorsed Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye as the next Awujale following a purported Ifa oracle pronouncement.
Ganiyu Hamzat stated that the selection and installation process remained guided strictly by applicable laws, established procedures, and recognised traditional customs.
Ganiyu Hamzat described claims of government endorsement through any informal process as false and misleading.
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 from the Fusengbuwa Ruling House were nominated.
The kingmakers, led by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Dr Sunny Kuku, were set to begin deliberations before the government ordered the suspension.
Meanwhile, Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye, member representing Somolu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, denied presenting himself as Awujale elect.
In a statement signed by Kunle Johnson Adebajo, princes and princesses of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House accused Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye of parading himself as Awujale elect and commissioning a song in his praise.
The royal family warned that such action could cause unrest in Ijebuland and violate chieftaincy and customary laws.
Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye, however, described the allegations as baseless and insisted he had never commissioned any song.
Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye emphasised a 37 year career in law and public service and reiterated commitment to lawful conduct.
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Public interest in the Awujale selection process suspension has intensified as indigenes await clarity on when the revered stool will be filled.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
