The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode has dragged Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Awujale kingmakers before the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu-Ode over the stalled process of choosing a successor to the late Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
The revered paramount throne became vacant following the monarch’s passing on July 13, 2025, at age 91, after more than six decades of rule.
Under the established chieftaincy rotation, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House is slated to produce the next monarch. Following official notification from the Ijebu-Ode Local Government, the family held a nomination meeting on January 12, 2026, putting forward 95 candidates.
The comprehensive roster was submitted on January 19, 2026, to the nine-member Afobaje Kingmakers Council to begin final deliberations.
Tensions escalated less than 24 hours later.
The ruling house claims security operatives raided the Awujale Palace early on January 20, halting the kingmakers’ proceedings.
The state government later halted the exercise amid unverified allegations of bribery, inducement, and procedural irregularities claims the ruling house vehemently denies as unfounded.
Speaking, the Head of the family, Abdulateef Owoyemi, stressed the community’s urgency, noting that Ijebu people are eager for a new monarch without continued delay.
The family contends that having fulfilled its statutory duty under the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, the selection must now move directly to the kingmakers and subsequent approval by the State Executive Council.
The lawsuit asks the High Court to determine whether the state executive holds any legal right to freeze an active chieftaincy selection after nominations conclude.
Beyond seeking an order to restrain government and security agents from further meddling, the ruling house wants the court to compel the kingmakers to reconvene and finalize their choice within a strict timeframe, testing the legal boundaries between executive authority and traditional succession rites in Ogun State.