A wave of protest swept through Ijebu-Ode on Monday as residents endorsed the Ogun State Government’s suspension of the Awujale selection process, demanding stiff penalties for anyone involved in bribery and corruption surrounding the royal stool.
The protesters, marching under the banners of Ijebu Sons and Daughters and Ijebu-Ode Progressive Youths, carried placards with pointed messages such as “Awujale stool is not for sale” and “Let there be a free and fair selection process.”
Their demonstration, which culminated at the Ijebu-Ode Local Government Secretariat, served as a direct rebuke against what participants described as rampant underhand dealings. Speakers explicitly condemned the alleged commodification of the highly revered traditional title.
“We have heard allegations of bribery involving both contestants and those conducting the selection,” stated protester Mrs. Morolayo Oyesefo. “The government must punish anyone found guilty. We do not want the process compromised.”
This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Yusuf Adetilewa, who lamented attempts by “moneybags to hijack the process and render it meaningless.” The group’s core message, delivered by Alhaji Babatunde Salami, was a plea for kingmakers to “act responsibly” and choose the right person without financial inducement.
Addressing the crowd, the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Dare Adebiosu, assured that the state government has no preferred candidate. He framed the suspension as a necessary step to enforce due process and transparency.
“The government is not interested in who eventually emerges as Awujale,” Adebiosu said. “The decision was taken to ensure fairness.”
The protest has garnered broader community support. The council of Alagemos in Ijebuland, speaking through High Chief Tajudeen Adekunle Muili, backed the government’s intervention, expressing confidence that Governor Dapo Abiodun’s aim was to ensure integrity, not to impose a will.
Similarly, High Chief Wahab Samsideen Adebayo noted the suspension allows for a proper, transparent conclusion where all contestants from the Funsengbuwa Ruling House have an equal opportunity.
The collective demand is now clear: resume a cleansed process, free from corruption, that produces an Awujale chosen on merit, not wealth, to avoid future crisis and litigation.
