A fresh disagreement has erupted between the Ogun State Government and traditional authorities in Ijebu-Ode over the administration of Ijebuland during the ongoing interregnum following the death of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, as both parties have laid claim to the authority to oversee the affairs of the ancient kingdom pending the emergence of a new monarch.
The latest development followed the decision of the Ogun State Government to reconstitute the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council (AIAC), barely 24 hours after traditional chiefs in Ijebu-Ode announced the dissolution of the council and its replacement with the Adele Oba Awujale in Council.
The conflicting decisions have brought to the fore an emerging dispute over the appropriate legal and customary framework for administering Ijebuland in the absence of a substantive Awujale, with the Governor Dapo Abiodun – led state government insisting that the AIAC remains the only legally recognised administrative authority, while the traditional chiefs maintain that the Adele Oba Awujale in Council derives its legitimacy from the customs and established traditions of the Ijebu people.
The controversy comes amid unresolved succession process that has generated disagreements and leadership crisis within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House as well as allegations of government interference and multiple legal disputes since the death of the revered monarch, Oba Adetona.
Oba Adetona, who joined his ancestors on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, had reigned for 65 years, making his reign one of the longest in the history of traditional institutions in Nigeria.
His death created a vacancy in the Awujale stool and brought an end to an era widely associated with stability, institutional influence and the development of Ijebuland.
In the immediate aftermath of his passing, the Ogun State Government constituted the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council to oversee the traditional and administrative affairs of Ijebuland pending the appointment and coronation of a successor.
The council, initially chaired by Chief Sonny Kuku, the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland and a prominent physician, was established as an interim administrative arrangement to ensure continuity in the governance of the kingdom during the transition period.
However, the succession process soon encountered difficulties.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House, which is next in line to produce the Awujale in accordance with the established rotational arrangement, had concluded its nomination exercise and forwarded a list of 95 aspirants, comprising 94 princes and one princess, to the Ijebu-Ode Kingmakers for consideration.
The process was subsequently suspended by the Ogun State Government under Governor Dapo Abiodun, which directed the kingmakers not to proceed with the selection of a candidate.
The government reportedly hinged its decision on security concerns and the volume of petitions arising from the nomination process.
The suspension triggered disagreements among stakeholders in Ijebuland, with allegations of government interference in the traditional succession process subsequently emerging. The controversy also resulted in court actions that may further complicate and elongate the process of producing a successor to the late monarch.
In midst of this unsettled background that the latest disagreement over the administration of Ijebuland has emerged.
Government insists AIAC remains legally recognised
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat, the Ogun State Government dismissed the purported dissolution of the AIAC, insisting that the withdrawal of some members could neither invalidate the council nor confer legal authority on another body to assume its responsibilities.
The government described the AIAC, established in August 2025, as the only legally recognised administrative structure empowered to manage the administrative and traditional affairs of Ijebuland until a new Awujale is appointed and crowned.
It specifically clarified that Chief Chris Okunowo and Alhaji Rasheed Adeoye Adesanya, the Olisa of Ijebu-Ode, had publicly dissociated themselves from the reported mass withdrawal of members from the council.
Rejecting the emergence of the Adele Oba Awujale in Council as a replacement administrative authority, the government maintained that the body had no legal or customary recognition under the Awujale Chieftaincy Declaration or the existing chieftaincy laws of Ogun State.
According to Hamzat, neither the Awujale Chieftaincy Declaration nor the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law 2021 provides for an Adele Oba Awujale group or assigns it any recognised responsibility in the administration of the vacant Awujale stool.
The government also faulted the reliance on the Chiefs Law of 1957 by some former members to justify the emergence of the new body, arguing that the legislation predated Nigeria’s independence and had ceased to apply to Ogun State, which had operated under its own laws since its creation in 1976.
To reinforce its position, the government cited a consent judgment delivered by the Ogun State High Court in suit number HCJ/180/2025, involving Rasheed Adeoye Adesanya, the Olisa of Ijebu-Ode, against the Executive Council of Ogun State and 16 others.
It said the judgment affirmed the legality, validity and authority of the AIAC as the administrative body established by the government to oversee the affairs of Ijebu-Ode pending the appointment and coronation of a new Awujale.
The government further noted that all members of the council were parties to the suit and had consented to the judgment.
It also maintained that the court affirmed that where a conflict arises between the administrative responsibilities of the AIAC and the traditional functions of the Olisa, the authority of the administrative body takes precedence.
According to the commissioner, the judgment had not been appealed and remained binding on the parties.
Although acknowledging the right of individual members to withdraw from the council, the government warned that such a decision could not confer legal authority on another group to assume the functions of the AIAC.
It consequently cautioned members of the public against conducting official transactions or administrative dealings with individuals who had withdrawn from the council in their purported capacity as members of an alternative administrative body.
The government also urged the former members to refrain from actions capable of violating the law or threatening peace and stability in Ijebuland.
Consequently, it announced the reconstitution of the AIAC to ensure continuity in the administration of the ancient kingdom.
The reconstituted council comprises Chief Rasheed Adesanya, the Olisa of Ijebu-Ode, as Chairman; Chief Chris Okunowo, Bobasuwa, as Secretary; Prof. Jide Ajayi, Jagun Aso; Chief Stephen O. Bakare, Babalaje; and Chief Alade Shote, Otun Balogun, as members.
The government said the reconstituted council would continue to discharge its legally recognised administrative and traditional responsibilities until a new Awujale is appointed and crowned.
However, the government’s position came against the backdrop of a resolution adopted a day earlier by traditional chiefs in Ijebu-Ode announcing the dissolution of the AIAC and its replacement with the Adele Oba Awujale in Council.
The resolution was reached at a meeting involving the Ilamuren, Pampa, the Odi and other traditional chiefs of Ijebu-Ode, where the leaders reportedly agreed that members of the existing AIAC should formally relinquish their positions and assume membership of the newly constituted body.
In a resolution signed by the Chairman of the Adele Oba Awujale in Council, Olo’rgun Dr Sonny Kuku, the traditional chiefs said their decision was informed by their interpretation of the existing traditional and statutory frameworks governing the Awujale chieftaincy institution.
Members argued that the Ogun State Chiefs Law 2021 did not expressly establish an Awujale Regency Council or prescribe a general procedure for appointing a regent during an interregnum.
The chiefs, however, maintained that the Chiefs Law and the 1957 Declaration provided an existing framework for recognising customary arrangements, including the traditional institution of the Adele Oba Awujale in Council.
The resolution stated: “Upon consideration of the applicable traditional and statutory framework, it was observed that the Ogun State Chiefs Law of 2021 does not expressly establish an Awujale Regency Council, nor does it prescribe a general procedure for the appointment of a Regent.”
It added: “It was further noted that the Chiefs Law and Declaration of 1957 provide an existing framework within which customary declarations are made and recognised, including the traditional institution of the Adele Oba Awujale in Council.”
Explaining the decision to replace the AIAC, the chiefs said a motion was moved and unanimously adopted for all members of the existing council to step down from their positions and transition into the Adele Oba Awujale in Council.
They subsequently declared that the new body would assume responsibility for the administration of Ijebu-Ode during the interregnum.
“Consequently, the Adele Oba Awujale in Council shall henceforth assume responsibility for the administration of the affairs of Ijebu-Ode during the interregnum and exercise, on an interim basis, such administrative powers and functions as may appropriately be required in the absence of the Awujale, subject to applicable laws and established customs and traditions,” the resolution stated.
The 14-member Adele Oba Awujale in Council comprises Dr Sonny Kuku, who holds the Ogbeni Oja title; Chief Rasheed Adesanya, Olisa; Chief O.B. Okuboyejo, Obasewa; Chief Chris Funmilola Okunowo, Bobasuwa; and Chief Prof. Jide Ajayi, Jagun Aso.
Other members are Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Osifeso, Olootu Olowa; Chief Jimi Lawal, Olotu Ifore; Chief Kunle Ogunade, Apebi; Chief Mrs B.O. Osibogun, Iyalode; Chief Adegoke Balogun, Jaginrin; Chief Agboola Alausa, Balogun; Chief Abimbola Okenla, Kakanfo; Chief Adebisi Adaran, Ogbeni Odi Awujale; and Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja, Lapoekun.
The traditional leaders described the arrangement as a recognised customary administrative structure designed to guarantee continuity and stability in Ijebu-Ode while the process of selecting and installing a substantive Awujale continues.
“The Adele Oba Awujale in Council shall henceforth serve as the recognised traditional administrative body for the management of the affairs of Ijebu-Ode throughout the interregnum, in accordance with applicable laws, customary practices and the established traditions of Ijebuland,” the resolution declared.
The chiefs further insisted that their position was firmly rooted in the ancient customs, established cultural practices and longstanding traditions of the Ijebu people, particularly those governing the Awujale Chieftaincy Institution.
They said the resolution was intended to protect the integrity of the traditional institution and preserve the historical administrative framework of Ijebuland until a new Awujale emerges.
The Daily Crucible reports that the latest confrontation between the state government and traditional chiefs has added another layer of uncertainty to the already stalling selection process of next Awujale following the death of Oba Adetona.
With the government maintaining that the AIAC derives its authority from existing state laws and a subsisting court judgment, and the traditional chiefs insisting on the legitimacy of the Adele Oba Awujale in Council under established customs, the two parties have now created competing claims over the administration of the kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House case against the Ogun State Government and the Ijebu – Ode Kingmakers on the same Awujale Obaship matter is expected to be heard today, 4th, November 2026.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House is asking the Ogun State High Court to compel the kingmakers to conclude the selection process for a new monarch.
The Daily Crucible reports that the suit was instituted by Otunba AbdulLateef Adebayo Owoyemi (Oloriebi/Family Chairman), Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba (Family Deputy Chairman) and Prof. Fassy Yusuf (Vice Chairman), for themselves and on behalf of members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode.
Listed as defendants are the Governor of Ogun State, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Ogun State Executive Council, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government and nine kingmakers led by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Olorogun Sonny Kuku.
The suit, marked HCJ/149/2026, was filed at the High Court of Justice, Ijebu-Ode Judicial Division, and sworn to on August 21, 2026. It challenges the alleged closure and lockdown of the Awujale Palace in Ijebu-Ode by police officers, which the claimants attributed to directives from the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led Ogun State Government.
The ruling house is also seeking declarations that the alleged government interference was unlawful and that the state government lacked the legal authority to halt the Awujale selection process.
In their originating processes, the plaintiffs stated that Ijebu-Ode Local Government notified the Fusengbuwa Ruling House on December 2, 2025, that it was its turn to produce a candidate for the vacant stool in accordance with the rotational arrangement provided under the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021.
Following the notification, the ruling house commenced its nomination exercise and held a meeting on January 12, 2026, within the 14-day period prescribed under Section 16(1)(b) of the law.
At the meeting, 95 princes and princesses were nominated, with the complete list subsequently forwarded to the nine-member Awujale Afobaje (Kingmakers) Council on January 19, 2026, for the next stage of the succession process.
The kingmakers’ council is chaired by the renowned physician and co-founder of Eko Hospital, Lagos, Olorogun Sonny Kuku, who also holds the title of Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland.
Other members of the council are Chief Rasheed Adesanya (Olisa), Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Osifeso (Olootu Olowa), Chief Jimi Lawal (Olotu Ifore), Chief Abimbola Okenla (Kakanfo Awujale), Chief Kunle Ogunade (Apebi), Chief Agboola Alausa (Balogun), Chief Adebisi Adaran, also known as Gbenden (Ogbeni Odi), and Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja (Lapoekun and Secretary).
The claimants alleged that less than 24 hours after the nomination list was submitted, police officers stormed the Awujale Palace shortly after midnight on January 20, 2026, and prevented the kingmakers from holding a meeting to select their preferred candidate from the 95 nominees.
A subsequent communication from the local government reportedly cited security concerns and allegations of bribery and financial inducement as reasons for the state government’s suspension of the process.
The suit also names the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, who had approved the commencement of the succession process on January 6, 2026, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, among the defendants.
The claimants further alleged that Hamzat petitioned the Eleweeran Police Station in Abeokuta on February 2, 2026, requesting that the kingmakers and principal officers of the ruling house be invited for questioning over allegations of bribery and financial inducement.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House, however, contended that no evidence or formal petition substantiating the allegations was presented.
It further claimed that investigations conducted by the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) did not establish any wrongdoing.
In their suit, the claimants are asking the court to declare that the nomination exercise was validly concluded and that the kingmakers are legally obligated, under Sections 16(1)(e) and (f) of the law, to select a candidate from the submitted list and forward the name to the State Executive Council.
They also contend that the Executive Council is required under Section 22 of the law to act on the candidate selected and presented by the kingmakers.
Among other reliefs, the ruling house is asking the court to order the kingmakers to reconvene within seven days of judgment and conclude the selection process.
It is also seeking an injunction restraining the state government and security agencies from further interfering with the process.
In the originating summons, the claimants are asking the court to determine several questions, including:
(i) Whether, having regard to the provisions of Section 16(1)(c) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, and having convened a meeting of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and completed its internal nomination of candidates within the period prescribed by law, the claimants have not duly and completely discharged their statutory responsibility of nominating candidates for the vacant stool of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.
(iii) Whether, having regard to the provisions of Section 16(1)(e) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, and the Chieftaincy Declaration regulating the selection of the Awujale of Ijebuland, the 7th to 15th defendants, upon receiving the Fusengbuwa Ruling House nomination list, became obligated to proceed with the selection of a candidate to fill the vacant stool and subsequently forward the name of the person selected to the 3rd defendant.
(iv) Whether, by virtue of Section 22 of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, the 3rd defendant is not obligated, upon the presentation of a selected candidate, to act on such selection.
(v) Whether the 1st to 6th defendants, or any of them, possessed any power under the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, or any other written law, to direct or cause the forcible entry into and closure of the Awujale Palace by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, as allegedly occurred shortly after midnight on January 20, 2026.
Reliefs sought by the ruling house
Consequently, the claimants are seeking several declaratory and injunctive reliefs, including:
(a) A declaration that the claimants, having convened their ruling house meeting and completed the nomination of candidates on or about January 12, 2026, pursuant to the public notice published on December 4, 2025, and the letter dated January 6, 2026, have fully and duly discharged their statutory responsibility of nominating candidates for the vacant stool of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland under Section 16(1)(b) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, and cannot consequently be required to reopen, repeat or recommence the nomination exercise.
(b) A declaration that the 7th to 15th defendants, having received the Fusengbuwa Ruling House nomination list on January 19, 2026, are obligated under Section 16(1)(e) and (f) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, to select a candidate from the list and forward the name of their selected or preferred candidate to the 3rd defendant.
(c) A declaration that the closure of the Awujale Palace, purportedly to halt the selection process, was unlawful, ultra vires the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, and carried out in breach of the claimants’ and the 7th to 15th defendants’ right to fair hearing, and is consequently null, void and of no effect.
Counsel to the claimants, led by Otunba Olusegun Otayemi, argued in the originating summons that the state’s chieftaincy law establishes a sequential process of nomination, selection and approval, which must be followed once initiated.
The legal team also cited previous judicial decisions, including Menakaya v. Menakaya and Garba v. University of Maiduguri, in support of its arguments on statutory obligations and the right to fair hearing.
