Members of the Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu Ode on Friday staged a protest in the ancient town, opposing an alleged plan to impose a candidate in the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
Fusengbuwa is one of the four recognised ruling houses in Ijebu Ode and is next in line to produce the monarch following the vacancy of the Awujale stool. The stool became vacant in July last year after the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who ruled the kingdom for 65 years and died at the age of 91.
The protesters marched through major streets of the town, carrying placards with messages such as “Fusengbuwa says no to imposition,” “Let Ifa oracle determine the next Awujale,” and “Let the kingmakers do their job.”
The protest, which began at Odo Egbo roundabout, proceeded through Awujale Palace/Itale Road and ended at the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat in Itooro, where the demonstrators were received by the council chairman, Dare Alebiosu.
Speaking on behalf of the ruling house, Mrs Adejugba Obileye said the protest was to express concern over the temporary closure of the palace and to warn against any attempt to impose a candidate on the family.
Obileye, who is also the Aremobinrin Jadiara, said the Fusengbuwa ruling house and the kingmakers were already following due traditional and legal processes to select a suitable candidate. She stressed that the Awujale stool is sacred and should not be influenced by political or financial interests.
“We reject any form of imposition. The Awujale stool should not be filled based on politics. We do not want a political Awujale,” she said. “Our culture is rich and must be protected. The Ifa oracle in our family should be allowed to guide the selection, rather than imposing a stranger on us.”
Another family member, Olubunmi Adesanya, also appealed to the government to respect the traditional selection process, urging that the kingmakers and the Ifa oracle be allowed to carry out their duties without interference.
Traditional leaders also joined the call. The Obajelu of Imoko and priest of the Agemo masquerade, High Chief Adekunle Talabi, urged the state government to stay away from the process and allow tradition to prevail.
“Imposition is unacceptable. The Fusengbuwa ruling house and the kingmakers should be allowed to choose the next Awujale according to tradition,” he said.
Responding to the protesters, the Ijebu Ode Local Government Chairman, Dare Alebiosu, denied any plan by the government to interfere in the selection process. He said the palace had been reopened since Thursday and assured the protesters that their concerns would be communicated to the state government.
“There is no plan to impose anyone. The government is not interested in interfering with the kingmakers,” Alebiosu said, while urging the protesters to remain peaceful.
Earlier, the Ogun State Government had announced a temporary suspension of the Awujale selection process following petitions from security agencies and other stakeholders, a move that sparked tension and allegations of possible imposition.
However, the state government, through the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the Governor, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed the allegations, insisting that Governor Dapo Abiodun remains committed to due process, respect for traditional institutions, and a transparent selection of the next Awujale.
Similarly, the regent and chairman of the Awujale Interregnum Administration Committee, Dr Sonny Kuku, assured that the kingmakers would not allow any imposition, noting that they were carefully reviewing over 1,200 documents submitted by no fewer than 95 candidates to ensure the emergence of the most qualified successor.
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