By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
The newly confirmed Olori – Ebi of the Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu – Ode in Ogun State, Otunba Abdul – Lateef Adedayo Owoyemi, on Friday declared that the royal family had not set up any committee yet to screen aspirants for the vacant throne of the Awujale of Ijebuland, and advised Ijebu sons and daughters – home and abroad – to ignore anything to the contrary.
Olori – Ebi Owoyemi said that the house hadn’t yet agreed on the amount of money an aspirant would have to pay for a nomination form, stressing that it couldn’t be made free lest thousands of aspirants show up and become unwieldy to manage afterwards for screening.
The former President of Institute of Chartered Accountant (ICAN) spoke when he received members of the Tunwase family unit of Fusengbuwa ruling house in Afin Otunba Jadiara Palace at Idowa – Ijebu, his country home.
Tunwase family is a significant unit in Fusengbuwa ruling house. The family had in the past produced three Awujales, including Oba Adenuga Folagbade. The members were in Idowa to identify with Owoyemi leadership as the Olori – Ebi, pledging to join hands with him to move the big Fusengbuwa house forward.
He appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun and Ijebu – Ode kingmakers to ensure that when it gets to the stage of selecting the next Awujale, they should bear it in mind that only the best should emerge, emphasising that the best is good for the Ijebu people.
According to him, a prophecy had gone out that the incoming Awujale will be greater than his predecessor, late Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who joined his ancestors July 13, 2025 at age 91.
The Olori – Ebi also urged aspirants to the throne not to go visiting spiritualists, Babalawos, native doctors, Alfas and Pastors or resort to all manner of diabolical means to become Awujale at all cost, stressing that the throne is always about God.
He said the process of ascending the throne must be pleasing to God, and needs not push any aspirant into running from pillar to pole, explaining that what is required of the aspirants is to trust God for a seamless race.
He said, “The late Awujale once told us that to be made a king is divine, that such people are always with their crown which they came with from heaven and it is such that wherever such a person may be, he will be located when the time comes. I urge them to always pray that the will of the Almighty God alone be done because He’s the only one who makes someone a King.”
Earlier, Otunba Owoyemi clarified that he emerged the authentic and confirmed head of the Fusengbuwa ruling house and not Chief Adedokun Ajidagba after the Ibadan Court of Appeal in its judgement of November 28, 2024 favoured him and confirmed the fact that he had been the ruling house head appointed since 2013 after Prince Fasasi Adeyemi passed away.
