Ogun State Government has, for the second time, put on hold the process of selecting a candidate for the stool of Awujale of Ijebuland. The development was communicated in a letter dated January 20, 2026, signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat, and addressed to the chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government.
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The suspension follows the second petition submitted by Fuji King, Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1), through his counsel, Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN), prompting the government to halt all proceedings. The circular directed the Ijebu Ode Council Chairman to inform the Awujale Kingmakers and the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to put the selection process on hold and await further instructions.
The Department of State Services (DSS), Ogun State Command, had earlier invited nominees for screening. Some nominees reported to the DSS office in Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday, coinciding with the scheduled palace proceedings. A source explained that the DSS profiling exercise was intended to vet candidates comprehensively but was suspended following the government’s directive. The DSS emphasized that the suspension of the Awujale selection is a government decision, not an action by the agency, and stressed the need to avoid misinformation.
Meanwhile, security around the Ijebu-Ode palace has been significantly strengthened. Armed operatives from the police, DSS, NSCDC, Amotekun, and So-Safe Corps were deployed along the Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Archway amid concerns that external influences could disrupt the Kingmakers’ deliberations.
Leaders of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, including Otunba Lateef Adebayo Owoyemi (Olori Ebi), Prince Adedokun Ajidagba (Deputy Olori-Ebi), and Professor Fassy Yusuf (Vice Chairman), had submitted the list of 95 nominees to the Kingmakers on January 19. Among the nominees are prominent figures such as Princess Oluwakemi Adetokunboh, Prince Adebisi Kadiri, Prince Abdul-Fatai Arowolo, Prince Olumuyiwa Adeyemi, Prince Okeowo Obafemi, and Prince Adegbenga Bakare.
Otunba Owoyemi, who is also Otunba Jadiara of Ijebuland and former President of ICAN, revealed that the royal family had conducted extensive traditional research to identify a preferred candidate endorsed by the Oracle (Ifa), without disclosing the individual’s name. He urged the Kingmakers and the state government to select a candidate in line with the Fusengbuwa Ruling House’s ancestral guidance and the dictates of the Oracle.
The government cited security concerns, the protection of public order, and the need to preserve the integrity of the stool as reasons for the suspension. The letter referenced the Obas and Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State, 2021, which empowers the Executive Council to halt appointments in the interest of peace, order, and good governance.
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