The battle over who succeeds the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has taken a dramatic turn, with the Fusengbuwa Ruling House dragging the Ogun State Government and the traditional kingmakers to court.
The ruling house is asking the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode to compel the authorities to reopen and complete the process of selecting the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.
The suit, dated August 21, 2026, was filed by the Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Abdulateef Owoyemi; Deputy Chairman, Adedokun Ajidagba; and Vice Chairman, Prof Fassy Yusuf.
Among those listed as defendants are Governor Dapo Abiodun; the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN); the Ogun State Executive Council; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat; the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu; and the council’s secretary.
The nine members of the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council are also defendants in the suit.
At the heart of the legal battle is the controversial suspension of the succession process after the Fusengbuwa Ruling House submitted its list of nominees to the kingmakers in January.
The ruling house had on January 12 conducted its nomination exercise, with 95 aspirants—94 princes and one princess—emerging in the race for the vacant throne. Reports at the time confirmed that the list was subsequently presented to the kingmakers at the Awujale Palace on January 19.
But according to the claimants, the process was thrown into turmoil less than 24 hours later when security operatives allegedly took control of the palace, preventing the kingmakers from proceeding with the next stage of the selection.
The Fusengbuwa leaders are now asking the court to determine whether the Ogun State Government had any legal authority under the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021 to stop the selection process or order the locking of the palace.
They are also challenging the government’s power to halt the nomination and selection process “under any guise” after the ruling house had completed its part of the exercise.
The claimants argue that the law sets out a clear sequence: the ruling house nominates candidates, the kingmakers select a candidate from the submitted names and the government considers the kingmakers’ choice.
They therefore want the court to declare that, having completed its nomination meeting within the period prescribed by law, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House had discharged its statutory responsibility and should not be ordered to start the exercise afresh.
The ruling house further wants the court to declare that the kingmakers became legally obligated to consider the names submitted to them and select a candidate to be forwarded to the state government.
It is also asking the court to determine whether the Ogun State Executive Council is bound to act on a candidate validly selected and presented by the kingmakers.
The claimants are particularly challenging the alleged midnight intervention at the Awujale Palace on January 20, insisting that neither the state government nor security agencies had the legal power to physically prevent the kingmakers from performing their statutory duties.
They further allege that claims of bribery, inducement and security concerns were subsequently used to justify the suspension of the process, but contend that no convincing evidence or formal petition establishing wrongdoing was presented.
The ruling house also claims that investigations by security agencies did not establish the alleged misconduct.
In one of the key reliefs sought, the claimants want the court to declare the locking of the palace and the resulting stoppage of the selection process unlawful, describing the action as contrary to the 2021 chieftaincy law and a breach of their rights.
They are also asking the court to order the kingmakers to reconvene within seven days of judgment and conclude the selection process.
In addition, they want an injunction restraining the state government and security agencies from further interfering with the process.
The latest lawsuit adds another twist to an already protracted succession battle that has generated protests, controversy and competing claims over the proper procedure for choosing the next Awujale.
The revered stool became vacant on July 13, 2025, following the death of Oba Adetona at the age of 91 after an unprecedented 65-year reign.
The January nomination exercise had initially been seen as a major step towards filling the throne, but the process became embroiled in controversy shortly after the 95 names were submitted.
The kingmakers subsequently cancelled a planned meeting with the nominees and directed them to appear before the Department of State Services in Ijebu-Ode.
The legal action by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House now puts the Ogun State Government, the kingmakers and other stakeholders on a fresh collision course over one of the most prestigious traditional stools in Yorubaland.
Counsel for the claimants, led by Olusegun Otayemi, argued that the state’s chieftaincy law provides a sequential procedure for nomination, selection and government approval, and that the authorities cannot arbitrarily interrupt the process once it has been validly commenced.
