Ogun: Fusengbuwa Files Awujale Stool Selection Lawsuit Against Governor

• The Fusengbuwa Ruling House has sued Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and others over the delayed selection of the Awujale of Ijebuland.
• The lawsuit, filed on August 21, 2026, under suit number HCJ/149/2026, seeks to compel the completion of the selection process.
• The dispute arose after the Awujale stool became vacant on July 13, 2025, and the ruling house alleges police obstruction of kingmakers on January 20, 2026.
• Claimants question whether the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021 permits state government intervention to halt the selection process.
• The case aims to clarify the legal obligations of kingmakers and the extent of governmental power in traditional ruler selections.

This chieftaincy dispute Ogun State carries significant implications for the autonomy of traditional institutions and the limits of state government intervention in such processes.

The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode has initiated legal proceedings against Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Awujale kingmakers, and several other parties, seeking judicial intervention to ensure the completion of the selection process for the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland. Filed on August 21, 2026, at the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu-Ode under suit number HCJ/149/2026, the action aims to compel the defendants to finalize the long-delayed succession.

The dispute stems from the vacancy created by the passing of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, following a remarkable 65-year reign. According to the claimants, the Ijebu-Ode Local Government formally notified the Fusengbuwa Ruling House on December 2, 2025, that it was their turn to present a candidate for the Awujale stool, in line with the rotational arrangement stipulated by the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021. This notification prompted the ruling house to commence its internal nomination procedures.

On January 12, 2026, within the 14-day period mandated by Section 16(1)(b) of the relevant law, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House convened a meeting where 95 princes and princesses were nominated. This comprehensive list was subsequently submitted to the nine-member Awujale Afobaje Kingmakers Council on January 19, 2026, for the subsequent stage of the selection process. However, the claimants allege that less than 24 hours later, on January 20, 2026, police officers reportedly entered and locked the Awujale Palace after midnight, effectively preventing the kingmakers from convening to select a preferred candidate from the submitted nominees.

The lawsuit, spearheaded by Otunba Abdulateef Adebayo Owoyemi (Chairman), Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba (Deputy Chairman), and Prof. Chief Fassy Yusuf (Vice Chairman) of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, raises critical questions regarding the scope of governmental authority in traditional chieftaincy matters. They are asking the court to determine whether the state government possessed the legal power to order or facilitate the alleged locking of the Awujale Palace on January 20, 2026, thereby physically obstructing the kingmakers from concluding their statutory selection duties.

Central to the Awujale stool selection lawsuit Ogun is the interpretation of the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021. The claimants seek a judicial pronouncement on whether this law permits the state government to halt the nomination or selection process for the Awujale under any circumstances. They also want the court to affirm that their ruling house fulfilled its statutory obligations under Section 16 of the law by completing its internal nomination process within the legally prescribed timeframe.

Furthermore, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House Abiodun suit seeks clarification on the kingmakers' responsibilities. They contend that once the kingmakers received the ruling house's nomination list, they became legally obligated to select a candidate from that list and forward the chosen name to the Ogun State Executive Council. The commencement of the statutory selection process itself is also a point of contention, with the claimants highlighting notices issued by the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government on December 2, 2025, December 4, 2025, and January 6, 2026, as evidence that the process had indeed begun.

This chieftaincy dispute Ogun State carries significant implications for the autonomy of traditional institutions and the limits of state government intervention in such processes. The HCJ/149/2026 Awujale case directly challenges the executive's perceived power to interfere with or unilaterally suspend established selection procedures for traditional rulers, as outlined in the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021.

The outcome of this Awujale kingmakers selection dispute could set a crucial precedent, defining the boundaries between governmental oversight and the traditional rights and duties of ruling houses and kingmakers. A ruling in favor of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House would underscore the importance of adhering strictly to statutory provisions governing chieftaincy selections, potentially limiting future executive actions that might be seen as overstepping legal bounds. Conversely, a decision upholding the state's actions could empower governments with greater discretion in managing traditional succession, impacting the delicate balance of power within the state's traditional governance structure.

This case sets a precedent regarding the limits of state government intervention in traditional ruler selection processes under the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021. Lawyers advising state governments, traditional institutions, or ruling houses should monitor the court's interpretation of executive powers versus statutory selection procedures to assess compliance risks and potential litigation strategies in chieftaincy disputes.

Source: Original reporting via local news outlets