Awujale stool: Ruling house sues Abiodun, kingmakers over delayed selection

The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode has filed a lawsuit against Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council, and other government officials in the Ogun State High Court. The legal action, filed on August 21, 2026, seeks orders to compel the selection of the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.

The plaintiffs include Otunba Abdulateef Adebayo Owoyemi, Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba, and Prof. Chief Fassy Yusuf, who are joined by various government officials and members of the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council. The claimants argue that the state government unlawfully entered and locked the Awujale Palace on January 20, 2026, preventing the kingmakers from concluding the statutory process for selecting a new monarch.

They also question whether the government can suspend or halt the selection process under any pretext. The ruling house seeks to determine whether it has completed its statutory responsibility under Section 16 of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021 and whether the kingmakers became legally bound to select a candidate from the nominated list.

The Awujale stool became vacant after the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025, prompting the local government to notify the ruling house on December 2, 2025, that it was their turn to produce a candidate. The ruling house commenced its nomination process on January 12, 2026, and submitted a list of 95 princes and princesses to the kingmakers on January 19, 2026.

However, the plaintiffs allege that police officers stormed the Awujale Palace less than 24 hours later and prevented the kingmakers from selecting a preferred candidate. The ruling house contends that no evidence or formal petition supports these allegations and that investigations by the police and Department of State Services found no wrongdoing.

In their lawsuit, the claimants seek to declare the ruling house's nomination process valid and for the kingmakers to select and forward a candidate to the State Executive Council. They also request an injunction to stop the state government and security agencies from interfering with the statutory process.