The Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Chief Sunny Kuku is the Chairman of the Awujale Interregnum. He is also the head of the Awujale Kingmakers and the Olorogun of Ijebuland. He shares his thoughts in the presence of other kingmakers, including the Osi Balogun of Ijebuland, Chief Agboola Alausa, on the delicate task of selecting the next Awujale and the latest decision of Governor Dapo Abiodun – led Ogun state government halting the steps being taken by the kingmakers to select the right candidate out of the 95 nominees jostling for the Awujale stool.
Sir, What is the level of progress on the process of selecting the next Awujale among the nominees submitted by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House?
As you know, the process has already started and the families have submitted names—between 86 and 95 in total. However, not all the applications are complete, so only about 86 are valid. The kingmakers have begun their work, and once they do, everything happens within that enclave. We are careful not to say anything that could bias the situation. Today, we received a message from the government indicating that the process has been temporarily halted. At the moment, we do not know the reason for this, but we are in contact with them to understand the situation. We will do our best to ensure that the process resumes because the general public is waiting. The kingmakers cannot say much at this time because we have a very onerous task. We are confident that the government is also interested in ensuring a peaceful outcome. We are consulting with them, and we believe that something will happen soon.
Reports from the grapevine suggesting government interference and plans to impose a candidate on the kingmakers are rife. What is the true situation of things?
We are unable to comment on that. The government does not sit with the kingmakers during deliberations. We do not work with them directly, and as you know, in situations like this, there are always many rumours. We try to separate facts from speculations. If any form of imposition occurs, we will certainly let the public know, because we will not tolerate that. However, that has not happened.
There was a heavy presence of armed security operatives stationed at the Oba Sikiru Adetona Archway leading to the palace in Ijebu Ode. The entrance to the palace was also barricaded by the police and other security agencies. What do those occurrences portend?
That is not an attempt to influence the process. The process has been halted, which is why we are meeting with the government to understand why and how the issue can be resolved quickly. The palace is a symbol of the people, and by barricading it, the authorities are making it clear that the process is temporarily in abeyance. There is no physical or emotional conflict taking place. We hope the palace will be reopened very soon because we want to avoid any anxiety among the people. Our goal is peace.
The government mentioned that it received a flood of petitions from stakeholders and security reports as reasons for halting the Awujale selection process. Are the kingmakers aware of those excuses?
If such petitions exist, they should be forwarded to us, but we have not received any. That is why we are consulting with them. Once discussions are concluded, we will make a statement as quickly as possible. There is nothing to worry about. As kingmakers, we are handling a very delicate responsibility. Our decisions can affect the lives of the people for centuries to come, so we are being extremely careful about what we do and say. We assure you that we will ensure peace and that the best person emerges as the Awujale.
Finally, there are allegations that the kingmakers have been compromised or are favoring a particular candidate. Is that true?
Let me be clear: we have not slept for five days. We are dealing with about 95 applications and over 1,200 documents, scrutinizing them meticulously. We are working diligently to ensure we select the best possible candidate. If we were biased, we would not be spending sleepless nights reviewing documents so thoroughly. We had planned to continue this process for several more days, and we are prepared for more sleepless nights. The criteria we have developed are meant to produce a leader who truly represents the people and will bring progress to the community. We still expect a few more sleepless nights, but for now, we may be able to rest briefly before the process resumes. END.
