Awujale: Court reassigns ruling house suit over stalled selection

A vacation judge, Justice A.A. Omoniyi of Court 3, Ogun State High Court, sitting in Ijebu-Ode, on Wednesday ordered that a suit filed by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House against Governor Dapo Abiodun, nine kingmakers and others over the suspension of the selection process for the next Awujale be returned to the administrative judge for reassignment.

Justice Omoniyi said he would commence his annual vacation within the next week and might not return to duty until January 2027.

He said he was aware of the urgency of the suit, numbered HCJ/149/2026 and filed on August 21, 2026, but was constrained by time, having only one week left before proceeding on vacation.

Omoniyi therefore ruled, in the interim, that the case file should be returned to the administrative judge for reallocation. He adjourned the matter to September 23 for further hearing.

Earlier, counsel for the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Olusegun Otayemi, told the court that all 15 defendants had been duly served and that the family was ready to proceed with the suit.

Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN), who announced his appearance for the seventh to 15th defendants, the kingmakers, and W.A. Onawole, a state counsel who appeared for Abiodun, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, and four other defendants, said they were still within the stipulated period and would file their responses in due course.

Also in court were the kingmakers, led by Dr Sunny Kuku, co-founder of EKO Hospital and the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland.

Others included the Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Abdulateef Owoyemi; his deputy, Adedokun Ajidagba; and the Vice Chairman, Prof Fassy Yusuf.

Speaking with journalists after the sitting, Otayemi said the family approached the court to challenge what it described as unnecessary government interference in the process of selecting the next Awujale following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who died aged 91 in July 2025 after 65 years on the throne.

He said, “Well, we’ve brought an action, essentially, because there was a stoppage of the selection process after it had been initiated. And the law, as we know it, does not permit a deliberate stoppage.

“Yes, if there are things that cause delays here and there, that can be excused, but not a deliberate, orchestrated stoppage. That’s why we are in court. So, like you heard the judge, he is a vacation judge. So, if he’s not available when we are around next, it may be going to another court.

“This matter is something that has some urgency in it. Ijebu-Ode cannot remain kingless for so long. And that’s one of the reasons why we are in court.”

Also speaking with journalists, the chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Owoyemi, said the family had to approach the court for redress because it could not afford to wait indefinitely for the next Awujale to be appointed from its family.

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Owoyemi said, “We waited for seven months. We had only 14 days by the law to do what we have done. And we did it within 10 days, and immediately we delivered the papers to the kingmakers; they only had seven days to finish and appoint an Awujale.

“From nowhere, a letter came asking that the whole thing stop because of what they call petitions, which we never saw. We don’t know who wrote the petitions, the security report which we have never seen a copy of till today’s date.

“And we’ve been waiting for seven months. The Imam, the Muslims of Ijebuland, the Christians of Ijebuland, have tried all they could in the whole world to have access to the governor so that this matter can move forward, but nothing has happened. We can’t wait forever. And we have to approach the court for intervention.”

The ruling house had earlier dragged Abiodun, the Awujale kingmakers and five others before the High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode, seeking orders compelling the completion of the process for the selection of the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.

The suit, numbered HCJ/149/2026 and dated August 21, 2026, was filed by Owoyemi; Ajidagba; and Yusuf.

Also joined as defendants were the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), the Ogun State Executive Council, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, and the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government.

Others listed as defendants are members of the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council, including Olorogun Sonny Kuku, Chief Rasheed Adesanya, Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Osifeso, Chief Jimi Lawal, Chief Abimbola Okenla, Chief Kunle Ogunade, Chief Agboola Alausa, Chief Adebisi Adaran and Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja.

The claimants are asking the court to determine whether the government had the legal power to order or facilitate the alleged entry into and locking of the Awujale Palace on January 20, 2026, “to physically prevent” the kingmakers from convening and concluding their statutory selection process for the new Awujale.

They also want the court to determine whether the Obas and Chiefs Law permits the state government to halt the nomination or selection process for the Awujale “under any guise.”

The claimants are further seeking a determination that, having convened a meeting of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and completed its internal nomination process within the period prescribed by law, the family had discharged its statutory responsibility under Section 16 of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021.

The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at the age of 91, after 65 years on the throne.

The Ogun State Government halted the selection process in January 2026, citing petitions from security agencies and stakeholders, following an earlier suspension over procedural concerns in December 2025.

A total of 95 aspirants—94 princes and one princess—emerged from the ruling house nomination process held in Ijebu-Ode in December before the government halted the selection process.