The Fusengbuwa Royal Ruling House has cautioned against any form of political interference, financial inducement or intimidation in the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebuland, insisting that the revered stool must be filled strictly in accordance with established customs and traditions.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, the spokesman of the ruling house, Prince Tunde Ogidan, warned that attempts to manipulate the succession process through money or pressure would amount to a violation of Ijebu tradition and undermine the sanctity of the Awujale stool.
“The Awujale stool remains a sacred traditional institution whose selection process must be guided strictly by customs and traditions handed down over generations.
“No amount of inducement or pressure should influence the emergence of the next Awujale of Ijebuland,” he said.
Ogidan attributed the rising tension and protests surrounding the succession process to misinformation and a lack of understanding of the procedures involved, noting that the royal family initially chose to remain silent to observe unfolding events.
“There is a lot of misinformation and lack of information. For those protesting, it is more of a lack of information. The royal family deliberately kept quiet to observe how things would unfold,” he said.
Addressing concerns over the unusually high number of aspirants, estimated at between 95 and 100, Ogidan explained that the long interval since the Fusengbuwa ruling house last produced an Awujale had resulted in the expansion of the family across multiple generations.
He said, “One hundred years is a long time. Children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have expanded the family. That is why we have many eligible candidates today.”
He clarified that the screening of candidates was carried out strictly by the royal family in line with the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law, rather than by the kingmakers.
“All documents submitted by candidates were screened by the family. They were bagged in the presence of the DSS and the police, padlocked and taken directly to the palace, where they were handed over to the kingmakers, the Afobajes,” he stated.
Dismissing claims of division within the Fusengbuwa family, Ogidan said initial disagreements had been resolved and that the family now spoke with one voice.
He said, “We had three factions initially, but we came together. There is no faction anymore. We are one family.”
Ogidan explained that statutory timelines contained in the 2022 Chieftaincy Law made it impossible to restart the screening process after the family reunited.
“Once we received the letter from the local government, we had 14 days.
“It was not possible to restart screening for nearly 100 people, so we harmonised all existing submissions,” he said.
Responding to allegations that aspirants were required to pay ₦10 million, Ogidan acknowledged that contributions were initially discussed to cover logistics but said the proposal was later dropped and all payments refunded.
“Every person who paid was refunded. It was not a condition for participation, and the refunds can be confirmed,” he stated.
While reaffirming the family’s opposition to corruption and inducement, Ogidan distinguished between bribery and culturally acceptable gestures.
“We frown at bribery and inducement. But in our culture, it is not unusual for someone to visit an elder with a gift. What we reject is anything meant to influence the process.”
He also criticised the suspension of activities at the palace, describing it as an abomination in Ijebu land.
“Locking the palace gate is an abomination. The palace is like a marketplace — shutting it deprives the people of access and violates tradition,” he said.
Reacting to allegations by a nominee that his name was omitted from the list, Ogidan said documentation would ultimately determine eligibility, noting that spelling errors or name variations could be corrected during interviews.
He emphasised that no individual or group could impose a candidate, explaining that the selection process involves interviews, traditional rites and formal government approval.
“No candidate can be selected and imposed. The process involves interviews, traditional requirements and legal confirmation by the government,” Ogidan said.
The ruling house spokesman therefore called on the Ogun State Government to allow the kingmakers to perform their duties without interference, expressing confidence that strict adherence to due process would ensure a peaceful and legitimate succession.
Advertisement
