Ijebu Forum warns against ‘plot’ to impose next Awujale

The Ijebu Progressive Elders Forum (IPEF) has cautioned against what it described as an attempt to impose a preferred candidate on the people of Ijebuland as the next Awujale.

The forum, in a statement signed by its National President, High Chief Adebanjo Adeboluro, called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to immediately withdraw from the “process” and allow the Afobajes to perform their traditional responsibility of selecting the next Awujale in accordance with the relevant chieftaincy declaration.

The forum alleged that the succession process, following the death of the revered monarch, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, on July 13, 2025, had been subjected to “unnecessary delays, political interference and deliberate attempts to create divisions within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.”

Describing the situation as more than an internal family disagreement, IPEF declared that the crisis was becoming a threat to the integrity of the traditional institution.

“What is happening to the vacant stool of Awujale is no longer a family disagreement. It is a government-engineered division,” the forum alleged.

IPEF questioned the recognition of Otunba Olukayode Otufale as Olori-Ebi of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, insisting that the leadership of the family should be determined by its members in accordance with established customs.

“Every Ijebu knows the authentic Oloriebis of Fusengbuwa. Now a government-anointed Olori-Ebi is being foisted to sign papers, sell forms, and deliver a predetermined outcome. This is divide-and-rule,” the statement said.

The forum stressed that every qualified prince should be allowed to participate in the succession exercise without political influence or preferential treatment.

The forum also raised concern over the invitation reportedly extended to some Fusengbuwa Oloriebis by the Department of State Services (DSS), Ogun State Command, over the sale of expression-of-interest forms to princes and princesses interested in the vacant stool.

According to the statement, the invitation letter requested the attendance of the traditional family leaders in connection with what it described as “investigating activities in respect of sale of expression of interest forms to interested princes and Princess for the vacant stool of Awujale.”

IPEF questioned the involvement of the security agency in what it described as an internal administrative process of the ruling house.

“Sale of forms is not terrorism. It is not kidnapping. It is not subversion. It is an internal administrative process of a Ruling House to identify eligible princes under File C17/5/2 of 1943,” the statement declared.

They maintained that a list of eligible candidates had already been produced and forwarded to the Afobajes, whose responsibility, they argued, was to select the next monarch in line with the applicable chieftaincy provisions.

“Their job under the Chieftaincy Declaration is to select. The Government’s job is to supervise, not to impose,” IPEF stated.

The elders demanded an end to what they described as unnecessary delays in filling the vacant stool, insisting that the process had been stalled for more than 15 months.

They also called on Abiodun to stop any alleged attempt to favour a particular aspirant, remove political influence from the selection exercise and allow all eligible princes from the 12 branches of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to participate.

On the disputed Olori-Ebi issue, the forum urged the government to allow the family to resolve its leadership question through established customs rather than imposing an individual on it.

“The Awujale institution is bigger than you, bigger than any aspirant, bigger than any Senate ambition,” the statement declared.

IPEF warned that the people of Ijebuland would resist any attempt to produce a monarch through “political sponsorship, insisting that the next Awujale must emerge through a transparent and legitimate traditional process.”

“We will not accept an imposed Awujale. We will not accept a monarch selected through political sponsorship. We will not accept a process where people’s will is subverted,” the forum said.

The elders added that “The people have been patient. That patience must not be mistaken for weakness. Ijebus have the democratic right to respond to disrespect through lawful means, including the ballot.”

On Tuesday, Governor Abiodun reassured the people of Ijebuland that a new Awujale would emerge before May 29, 2027.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the governor gave the assurance on Tuesday at the Ogun East Senatorial District stakeholders’ meeting in Ijebu-Ode, where he engaged representatives of various interest groups on traditional affairs, governance and the district’s economic prospects.

He was quoted as saying, “On the succession process for the revered Awujale stool, my administration is committed to facilitating a smooth, peaceful and widely acceptable process leading to the emergence of a new monarch.”

The governor acknowledged the importance of the Awujale institution to the cultural heritage, identity and unity of Ijebuland, appealing to the people to remain calm and patient while the necessary processes were being concluded.

He said his administration was giving the matter the attention it deserved to ensure that the process was concluded peacefully and that the emergence of a new Awujale enjoyed the acceptance and support of the people.