The Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Ijebu-Ode has sued Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Awujale kingmakers over the stalled process to select the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.
The suit was filed before the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode. The plaintiffs want the court to compel the relevant authorities to complete the selection process for the vacant stool. Dated August 21, 2026, the suit was filed by the Chairman of the ruling house, Abdulateef Owoyemi; Deputy Chairman, Adedokun Ajidagba; and Vice Chairman, Professor Fassy Yusuf.
The plaintiffs also named the Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), as a defendant. The Ogun State Executive Council and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, were also joined in the suit. The Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government and members of the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council are among the other defendants.
The kingmakers named in the suit include Sonny Kuku, Rasheed Adesanya, Oluwaranti Osifeso, Jimi Lawal, Abimbola Okenla, Kunle Ogunade, Agboola Alausa, Adebisi Adaran and Ayotunde Odulaja.
Ruling House Challenges Halted Selection Process
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House wants the court to determine whether the Ogun State Government had the legal power to halt the Awujale selection process. It also wants the court to examine the government’s role in the entry and locking of the Awujale Palace on January 20, 2026. According to the plaintiffs, police officers entered the palace after midnight and stopped the kingmakers from meeting.
They said the action prevented the kingmakers from selecting a candidate from the list submitted by the ruling house. The plaintiffs also want the court to determine whether the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021 allows the government to stop the Awujale selection process under any guise. They argued that the law provides a clear process for nominating, selecting and approving a new traditional ruler.
The ruling house maintains that it completed its part of the process within the period allowed by law.
How the Awujale Selection Process Stalled
The Awujale stool became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on July 13, 2025. The late monarch died at the age of 91 after a historic 65-year reign. According to the plaintiffs, Ijebu-Ode Local Government notified the Fusengbuwa Ruling House on December 2, 2025. The council said it was the house’s turn to produce a candidate under the rotational arrangement.
The ruling house subsequently began its nomination process and held a meeting on January 12, 2026. The meeting took place within the 14-day period set out in Section 16(1)(b) of the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021. The plaintiffs said the process produced 95 nominees. The ruling house later forwarded the complete list to the nine-member Awujale Afobaje Kingmakers Council on January 19, 2026.
However, the plaintiffs alleged that police officers stormed the Awujale Palace less than 24 hours after the list was submitted. They claimed that the officers prevented the kingmakers from meeting to select a preferred candidate from the 95 nominees. A later letter from the local government gave reasons for the suspension. It cited security concerns and allegations of bribery and financial inducement.
Ruling House Rejects Allegations
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House disputed the allegations and said no evidence or formal petition supported the claims. The plaintiffs also claimed that investigations by the police and the Department of State Services did not establish any wrongdoing. In the suit, they want the court to declare that the ruling house validly completed the nomination process.
They also want the court to declare that the kingmakers must select a candidate from the submitted list. The selected name would then go to the Ogun State Executive Council. The plaintiffs also relied on Section 22 of the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021. They argued that the Executive Council must act on the kingmakers’ selection.
What the Ruling House Wants
The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction against further interference by the state government and security agencies. They also want the court to declare the locking of the Awujale Palace unlawful. They argue that the action contravened the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021. The ruling house further wants the court to determine whether the state government had the power to order the police to enter and lock the palace.
Counsel for the plaintiffs, led by Olusegun Otayemi, made the argument in the originating summons. He said the chieftaincy law sets out a clear process for selecting the Awujale. The plaintiffs want the court to order the kingmakers to reconvene within seven days of judgment. They want the council to complete the selection using the list already submitted by the ruling house.
The claimants also want the court to declare that the kingmakers have a duty to select a candidate from the submitted list and forward the name to the Ogun State Executive Council. The suit has now brought the stalled succession process before the court. The plaintiffs are seeking an order that will allow the selection of the next Awujale to continue.
Read also: Tension Rises in Ijebu-Ode Over Planned Disqualification of 6 Key Awujale Aspirants
