A new twist has emerged in the succession process for the vacant Awujale of Ijebuland stool following the circulation of a letter reportedly sent to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, by the Olisa of Ijebu-Ode, Chief Rasheed Adeoye Adesanya, forwarding the names of five princes for consideration as the next Awujale.
The development has sparked strong opposition from members of the Awujale Afobaje Council, who insist that the succession process remains officially suspended by the Ogun State Government and that no kingmakers’ meeting has been convened since the suspension order was issued in January 2026.
The controversy comes barely days after reports emerged that the Council of Ilamuren, led by Chief Adesanya, had allegedly approved and transmitted the names of five princes to Governor Abiodun for consideration in accordance with provisions of the Chiefs Law and customary procedures governing the selection of the Awujale. The reported nominees include Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye, Prince Isiaq Ayodele Adewale Adekoya (Eleruja), Prince Onabanjo Abimbola John, Prince Oluwaseun Waheed Omopenu Onanuga, and Prince Olabode Onanuga.
However, the Secretary of the Afobaje Council, Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja, has publicly distanced the kingmakers from the letter, describing it as unauthorized and inconsistent with the existing government directive suspending the selection process.
Speaking during an interview on a radio programme monitored in Ogun State, Odulaja stated that the council received a formal suspension notice on January 20, 2026, and has strictly complied with the directive.
According to him, the council has neither reconvened nor deliberated on any aspect of the succession process since the suspension took effect.
He maintained that any document purporting to emanate from the Afobaje Council without its collective deliberation should not be regarded as an official position of the kingmakers.
A major point of contention revolves around the authority under which the letter was allegedly sent.
Odulaja rejected claims that the Olisa serves as chairman of the kingmakers’ council, insisting that the recognised chairman of the Afobaje Council is Chief Sunny Kuku, the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu-Ode.
According to him, the council consists of nine members, with the Olisa occupying only one seat among the kingmakers and holding no superior authority within the body responsible for selecting the Awujale.
He explained that while the Olisa heads the Ilamuren Council, that body is distinct from the Afobaje Council of kingmakers, which operates under a separate legal and customary framework.
The Afobaje secretary further disclosed that when the kingmakers were constituted, members collectively elected Chief Kuku as chairman and appointed him as secretary of the council.
The succession process has remained contentious since the passing of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, whose death created a vacancy in one of Nigeria’s most revered traditional institutions.
Earlier this year, the Ogun State Government suspended the selection exercise following petitions, procedural disputes and allegations of irregularities surrounding the nomination process.
The exercise has also witnessed police investigations involving kingmakers over allegations of bribery and financial inducement linked to the succession process. Both the Olisa of Ijebu-Ode and several kingmakers were previously invited by security agencies for questioning as part of ongoing investigations.
Odulaja argued that until the Ogun State Government formally lifts the suspension order, no valid step can be taken toward the emergence of a new monarch.
He also noted that reports suggesting Governor Abiodun personally requested the list of nominees have been contradicted by information attributed to government sources.
The dispute has further exposed underlying tensions within Ijebuland’s traditional hierarchy.
Odulaja challenged the use of royal appellations reportedly associated with the Olisa, insisting that there can only be one recognised monarch in Ijebuland.
According to him, the Awujale remains the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, while other traditional office holders, including the Olisa, occupy chieftaincy positions within the broader traditional structure.
He argued that the ongoing controversy reflects longstanding disagreements over roles and authority within the traditional institution, adding that attempts to influence the succession process outside established procedures could further complicate efforts to achieve consensus.
Despite the latest developments, the Awujale stool remains vacant as stakeholders await fresh directives from the Ogun State Government regarding the future of the succession exercise.
While supporters of the nomination process argue that the transmission of names represents progress toward filling the throne, the Afobaje Council maintains that no lawful action can be taken until the suspension is officially lifted and the kingmakers are authorised to resume deliberations.
The dispute has once again highlighted the complexities surrounding the selection of the next Awujale, a throne that remains one of the most influential traditional institutions in Yorubaland.
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