Segun Atanda/
All Ijebu kingmakers involved in the selection of the next Awujale of Ijebuland have been directed to report to the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abeokuta on Thursday, in the latest sign of escalating tension surrounding the contested succession process.
The summons follows an earlier invitation extended to the Olori Ebis of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and underscores growing security and governance concerns over the handling of the revered royal stool.
The stool of the Awujale, a paramount traditional ruler in southwest Nigeria with a history spanning centuries, became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on July 13 2025, at the age of 91, after a record 65-year reign that transformed the role into a prestigious cultural and civic institution.
Under customary practice, the royal stool rotates among the four ruling houses of Ijebuland, Anikilaya, Gbelegbuwa, Fidipote, and Fusengbuwa.
Because Oba Adetona was from the Anikilaya house, it is now the turn of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to produce the next Awujale.
However, a series of disputes over eligibility, procedure and governance has thrown the process into disarray.
The controversy erupted amid allegations of irregularities in nomination procedures, concerns over compliance with statutory and customary laws, and multiple petitions from aspirants and stakeholders.
The Ogun State Government has twice suspended the selection process, first in December 2025 and again in January 2026, citing security concerns, petitions from stakeholders and alleged procedural flaws that could expose the exercise to legal challenge.
Official letters from the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, emphasised the need to maintain public order and protect the solemnity of the stool.
This week’s call for all kingmakers to present themselves at the police headquarters in Abeokuta signals escalating government involvement in what has historically been a largely internal traditional affair.
The succession contest has also been marked by intra-family disputes and legal challenges.
Popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshall (also known as KWAM1) claimed eligibility as a contender, asserting lineage ties to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, but his claim was rejected by the family, who argued he had no legitimate descent and did not qualify for nomination.
Ayinde subsequently approached the Ogun State High Court to restrain the process pending legal determination, but a judge dismissed his interim application, allowing succession activities to proceed.
Meanwhile, various royal family members and contenders have publicly asserted their claims.
Legal and cultural experts note that compressing a complex customary process into tight timetables risks fuelling dissatisfaction and litigation, especially when statutory requirements under the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration and the 2021 Obas and Chiefs’ Law intersect with deeply rooted traditional expectations.
There have also been debates about eligibility criteria, including whether individuals with certain traditional titles, such as Otunba, should be disqualified.
Prominent Ijebu chiefs have rejected such exclusions, pointing out that history and law do not prohibit Otunba titleholders from ascending to the Awujale stool.
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