Tag: Awujale stool

The kingmakers for the stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland on Wednesday declared that they would not accept the imposition of any candidate on them or on the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, insisting that the selection process must be free and transparent.

The Regent of the Awujale of Ijebuland and Ogbeni Oja, Chief Sunny Kuku, made this known while responding to questions from reporters in the presence of other kingmakers at his private residence in Igbeba GRA, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

Kuku, who is the head of the kingmakers and chairman of the Awujale interregnum, said members of the council had endured sleepless nights carefully scrutinising documents submitted by the nominees before receiving notification from the Ogun State Government halting the process.

He said consultations with relevant authorities had commenced to ensure the resumption of the exercise, stressing that not only the Ijebu people but the general public were eagerly awaiting the emergence of a new Awujale.

Describing the responsibility before the kingmakers as delicate and demanding, Kuku said the process was being handled with utmost caution, noting that their decision would have far-reaching implications for the people of Ijebuland for generations to come.

He said, “As you know, the process has already started, and the families have submitted names—between 86 and 95 in total. However, not all the applications are complete, so only about 86 are valid. The kingmakers have begun their work, and once they do, everything happens within that enclave. We are careful not to say anything that could bias the situation.

“Today, we received a message from the government indicating that the process has been temporarily halted. At the moment, we do not know the reason for this, but we are in contact with them to understand the situation. We will do our best to ensure that the process resumes because the general public is waiting.

“The kingmakers cannot say much at this time because we have a very onerous task. We are confident that the government is also interested in ensuring a peaceful outcome. We are consulting with them, and we believe that something will happen soon.

“Regarding reports from the grapevine suggesting government interference, we are unable to comment on that. The government does not sit with the kingmakers during deliberations. We do not work with them directly, and as you know, in situations like this, there are always many rumours. We try to separate fact from speculation. If any form of imposition occurs, we will certainly let the public know, because we will not tolerate that. However, that has not happened.”

The Ogbeni Oja who is a co-founder of the EKO Hospital Ikeja, one of the nation’s early generation elite private health facility, allayed public’s concerns over the barricade to the palace by dozens of armed security operatives on Wednesday, saying it was not an attempt to influence the selection process but to let the people know that the state government had suspended the process again.

Read Also: Awujale stool: KWAM 1 threatens court action again over nomination exercise

He noted that the reasons – such as written petitions and security concerns – given by the state government for halting the Awujale selection process were only known to the government, not the kingmakers, advising that if such petitions existed, they should be forwarded to the kingmakers.

Chief Kuku said, “The barricade at the Palace is not an attempt to influence the process. The process has been halted, which is why we are meeting with the government to understand why and how the issue can be resolved quickly. The palace is a symbol of the people, and by barricading it, the authorities are making it clear that the process is temporarily in abeyance. There is no physical or emotional conflict taking place. We hope the palace will be reopened very soon because we want to avoid any anxiety among the people. Our goal is peace.

“If petitions exist, they should be forwarded to us, but we have not received any. That is why we are consulting with them. Once discussions are concluded, we will make a statement as quickly as possible. There is nothing to worry about.

“As kingmakers, we are handling a very delicate responsibility. Our decisions can affect the lives of people for centuries to come, so we are being extremely careful about what we do and say. We assure you that we will ensure peace and that the best person emerges as the Awujale.

“When situations like this arise, there are allegations that the kingmakers have been compromised or are favouring a particular candidate. Let me be clear: we have not slept for five days. We are dealing with about 95 applications and over 1,200 documents, scrutinizing them meticulously. We are working diligently to ensure we select the best possible candidate. If we were biased, we would not be spending sleepless nights reviewing documents so thoroughly.

“We had planned to continue this process for several more days, and we are prepared for more sleepless nights. The criteria we have developed are meant to produce a leader who truly represents the people and will bring progress to the community.

“We still expect a few more sleepless nights, but for now, we may be able to rest briefly before the process resumes.”

An Awujale stool aspirant, Alhaji Wasiu Adesanya (KWAM 1), has petitioned the Ogun State Government over his alleged wrongful exclusion from the nomination process.

In a petition through his counsel, Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN), he alleged that he and other eligible members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House were barred from consideration for the Awujale of Ijebuland.

In a petition dated January 12 and addressed to the Ogun State Executive Council, Shittu accused the leadership of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of conducting a flawed and exclusionary nomination exercise in violation of statutory provisions, customary law and constitutional guarantees of fair hearing.

Adesanya, according to the petition, is an acknowledged and eligible member of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and an aspirant to the revered Awujale stool, which became vacant following the death of Oba Dr. Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

The SAN alleged that during the nomination meeting held on January 12, his client and other legitimate members of the ruling house were deliberately barred from gaining access to the venue by heavily armed security personnel.

The petition stated that entry into the meeting was restricted through the issuance of special entry cards to selected “delegates,” a system that was allegedly unilaterally introduced by a faction within the ruling house and never agreed to by Adesanya and other excluded members.

According to Shittu, the imposition of a delegate system effectively disenfranchised eligible members who were entitled under customary law and Ogun State chieftaincy regulations to participate directly in the statutory nomination meeting.

“The deliberate obstruction prevented our client and others from exercising their fundamental right to participate in the nomination process for the Awujale stool,” the petition said, adding that evidence of the alleged exclusion was contained in audiovisual materials attached to the petition.

The SAN recalled that the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government had earlier issued a letter dated January 6, 2026, inviting members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to a statutory meeting to nominate candidates for the Awujale stool, in line with the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State and the customary laws of Ijebuland.

However, he argued that the manner in which the meeting was conducted on January 12 rendered the entire exercise unlawful and void.

Shittu contended that the exclusion of eligible members amounted to a breach of Section 16(1)(f) of the Obas, Chiefs, Council of Obas and Traditional Council Law of Ogun State, 2021, which requires that candidates be nominated at a properly constituted meeting of the ruling house.

He also cited a violation of the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy Declaration, which mandates an inclusive and transparent nomination process, as well as a breach of the constitutional right to fair hearing guaranteed under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The petition further argued that decisions taken at meetings where interested parties are deliberately excluded are null and void, relying on established judicial authorities, including Kotoye v. Central Bank of Nigeria and Longe v. FBN Plc.

Describing the actions of the ruling house leadership as repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience, the SAN warned that any nomination arising from the disputed meeting would inevitably lead to protracted litigation and communal unrest.

Read Also: CAF Confirms Ghana’s Laryea for Morocco, Nigeria semi-finals

He therefore urged the Ogun State Executive Council to declare the January 12 nomination exercise null and void and to direct a fresh, transparent and inclusive nomination process in which all eligible members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House would be allowed to participate without discrimination.

The petition also sought assurances that there would be strict compliance with the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, the Awujale Chieftaincy Declaration and principles of natural justice in subsequent stages of the selection process.

Shittu listed 14 members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House who were allegedly prevented from entering the venue of the nomination meeting, including princes and princesses of the family.

They include Adetayo Oduneye, Adeyemo Oduneye, M. O. Alatishe, Adetoun Oduneye, Adebambo Oduneye, Ashiru Orisanmi, Adesanya Adekunle, Adesanya Adetayo, Tunde Banjo, Orekoya Adekitan, Bolanle Ashiru, Olalekan Olubanjo, Temitope Ashiru, Saidat Ashiru and Adebola Adesanya.

The SAN warned that failure by the state government to urgently address the grievances would compel his client to seek redress in court and before other appropriate authorities.

Copies of the petition were forwarded to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, the Ogun State Attorney-General, the kingmakers, the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, and the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.