The process to select a new Awujale of Ijebuland has been abruptly suspended by the Ijebu Ode Local Government Authority.
In a dramatic intervention, the council chairman, Hon. Dare Alebiosun, has directed the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and the kingmakers to halt all activities related to the royal succession forthwith.
The directive, issued in a letter dated January 20, 2026, follows the receipt of multiple petitions, security reports, and public complaints. These documents reportedly contain serious allegations of irregularities and financial inducement within the selection process.
The letter, signed by the Secretary to the Local Government Chairman, Hon. Oke Abiodun Adebanjo, states the suspension is a proactive move to forestall a breakdown of peace and to “protect and preserve the sacred traditional institution.”
It invokes the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law of 2021, which empowers the government to set aside an appointment in the interest of “peace, order and good governance.”
“Based on the reports available to the local government, it had elected to act proactively and without further delay,” the letter stated.
The kingmakers and the ruling house have been instructed to await further directives on how and when the exercise may continue. The local government’s letter did not provide specific details of the allegations, nor did it indicate a timeline for the next steps.
The suspension throws the historically significant succession process into uncertainty, leaving the ancient throne of the Ijebu Kingdom in a state of limbo.
