The Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed the development in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

By Asaye Bankole

The Ogun State Government has annulled the ongoing process to select a new Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.

The Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed the development in a telephone interview on Wednesday.

The Awujale stool became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who died in July at the age of 91 after reigning for 65 years.

In a letter dated December 2, 2025, and signed by the Secretary to the Ijebu Ode Local Government Area, Oke Adebanjo, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House had been instructed to present a candidate for the next Awujale.

The government gave the ruling house 14 days to complete the selection process and submit the names of qualified candidates.

In response, the ruling house began the process, which reportedly attracted at least 60 princes, and scheduled Monday, December 15, for the screening of aspirants.

However, the exercise was suspended after the state government invited representatives of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and the Awujale Interregnum Administration Committee to a meeting on Tuesday.

It was gathered that the meeting was convened to ensure compliance with existing chieftaincy laws.

Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, which was chaired by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ganiyu Hamzat, Prof. Yusuf confirmed that the government directed the ruling house to restart the entire selection process.

He explained that the earlier exercise was cancelled due to procedural flaws that could potentially lead to legal disputes over the installation of the new Awujale.

Yusuf added that the government’s intervention was neither unusual nor unjustified, noting that all stakeholders were aligned on the need to strictly comply with the 2021 Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State and the 1957 chieftaincy declaration governing the Awujale stool.

“The meeting with the government was to ensure that everything is properly done,” Yusuf said. “The government wants us to strictly follow the provisions of the Obas and Chiefs Law in the installation of the Awujale.”

“So, very soon, we expect to receive a new letter from the local government and begin the process afresh. The earlier letter that gave the ruling house 14 days to submit candidates has been withdrawn.

“The family will meet, assess the situation, and proceed accordingly. We must follow the guidelines set by the government.”

“The government initially issued a letter indicating the start of the process, but a procedural error was later identified. To prevent unnecessary litigation, it was agreed that the process should begin again.

“In any case, no list of candidates has been submitted to the kingmakers, so there is nothing to be concerned about.”

A senior state government official who attended the meeting, but spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorisation to speak to the media, also confirmed the suspension of the selection process.

The official rejected claims of government interference, explaining that the meeting was held solely to address flaws in how the local government initiated the process.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the meeting was not about government interference, as some have suggested,” the source said. “It was about ensuring that due process is followed in line with the law.

“The local government acted prematurely in the way it began the selection process. It failed to comply with the guidelines set out in the 2021 Obas and Chiefs Law and the 1957 chieftaincy declaration governing the Awujale stool.

“We have advised all parties on the correct procedure so that everyone is aligned and unnecessary court cases are avoided. Some individuals are already closely monitoring the situation and are ready to exploit any procedural lapse to seek legal action.

“To properly commence the process, the ruling house must first formally notify the local government of its readiness.

The local government will then write to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, which will grant approval for the process to begin.

“The meeting was chaired by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. Given that the installation of an Awujale has not occurred for 65 years, it is understandable that some officials may be unfamiliar with the procedure, unlike in other communities where such installations have taken place several times within the same period.”

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