The Ogun state government has cancelled the ongoing selection process for the Awujale of Ijebuland throne, directing the Fusengbuwa ruling house to restart the exercise.
The vice chairman of the ruling house, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed this on Wednesday, December 16, stating that the directive aims to ensure strict compliance with state chieftaincy laws.
The secretary of Ijebu Ode local government, Oke Adebanjo, in a letter dated 2nd December directed the Fusengbuwa ruling house to submit eligible candidates within 14 days.
This follows the passing of Oba Sikiru Adetona in July 2025 which brought his historic 65-year reign to an end and left the Awujale stool vacant.
The ruling house began the screening process, attracting 60 princes, and scheduled aspirant screening for December 15.
However, the process was suspended after the government summoned representatives from the ruling house and the Awujale interregnum administration committee to a meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting, chaired by the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, focused on ensuring strict adherence to the 2021 obas and chiefs law and the 1957 chieftaincy declaration governing the Awujale stool.
Yusuf explained that procedural lapses in the earlier process could have triggered litigation.
“The meeting with the government was to ensure that everything falls in place.
“The government wants us to strictly adhere to the provisions of the obas and chiefs law regarding the installation of the Awujale.
“So, very soon, we are going to receive another letter from the local government and begin the process afresh.
“The earlier letter, which gave the ruling house 14 days to submit candidates, has been withdrawn,” he said.
He reassured that no candidate list had been submitted to kingmakers, stressing that the fresh process would follow legal guidelines to avoid disputes.
A government official, dismissed claims of government interference as the meeting was about ensuring the right thing is done in accordance with the law, stating that the local government jumped the gun in the way it initiated the process.
The official explained that to commence the selection properly, the ruling house must first formally notify the local government of its readiness, after which the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs will authorize the process.
He added that some people are already watching closely and are eager to exploit any procedural error to go to court.
Comments