Awujale stool: Ogun govt insists on due process

The Ogun State Government on Wednesday insisted that the emergence of the next Awujale of Ijebuland must follow due process, hence its intervention in the internal crisis rocking the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, said in a statement that the government had acted with fairness, restraint and in accordance with the Awujale Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021.

The government therefore warned individuals and groups allegedly sponsoring media attacks and spreading disinformation to pressure it over the succession process to desist or face the full weight of the law.

Ogungbade explained that following the demise of the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the government had consistently recognised the Fusengbuwa Ruling House’s entitlement to produce the next occupant of the revered traditional stool.

The commissioner, however, disclosed that the government had to intervene after discovering that the ruling house was operating under three different family heads, with nomination forms reportedly being sold for as much as ₦10 million.

He recalled that at a meeting with the family on November 6, 2025, the government advised it to resolve its internal leadership disagreements, operate under one recognised family head and discontinue the collection of nomination fees.

Ogungbade said the intervention yielded positive results, as the family subsequently agreed to operate as one united ruling house, abolish candidature fees and refund payments already made by aspirants. He added that the family also expressed appreciation to the government.

He maintained that the government’s intervention was not intended to deprive the Fusengbuwa family of its entitlement but to ensure that the succession process was conducted in an orderly, transparent and legally acceptable manner.

The Attorney-General explained that while the government respected the traditional succession process, it also had statutory responsibilities in the appointment and installation of traditional rulers, including the authority to reject a nominated candidate where the interest of good governance so demanded.

He described recent media publications accusing the government of interference and bias as misleading, alleging that some were sponsored to create public hostility and exert undue pressure on the government.

Ogungbade distinguished legitimate criticism and advocacy from what he described as media blackmail and deliberate disinformation, warning that the government would not allow such activities to undermine its lawful responsibilities.

Citing Section 61 of the Criminal Law of Ogun State, he noted that unlawful acts calculated to interfere with the free exercise of a governor’s official duties could attract a three-year jail term.

He consequently cautioned publishers and individuals involved in disseminating misleading reports designed to interfere with the succession process, warning that the government would not hesitate to pursue appropriate legal remedies if the alleged activities persisted.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the emergence of the next Awujale reflects the provisions of the law, the established traditional institutions of Ijebuland and the principles of fairness and due process.