Contested Succession of Awujale: Eight Applicants Offered Bribes, Claims Fusengbuwa Ruling House Lead

Aspiring candidates for the vacant Awujale throne, overseen by the Fusengbuwa ruling house in Ijebu Ode, have been revealed by its head, Abdulateef Owoyemi, with the presumed count of eight individuals involved.

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2025 September 16 . 2:41 AM

2 min read

Disputed Awujale Succession: Fusengbuwa Leadership Rejects Financial Incentives From Eight... — Disputed Awujale Succession: Fusengbuwa Leadership Rejects Financial Incentives From Eight Applicants

Contested Succession of Awujale: Eight Applicants Offered Bribes, Claims Fusengbuwa Ruling House Lead

In the heart of Ijebu Ode, Abdulateef Owoyemi, the Head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, has been affirmed in his role as Olori Ebi following a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal in Ibadan. This decision, upheld in November 2024, has validated Owoyemi's appointment since 2013.

This significant development comes after a series of events that saw Owoyemi rejecting eight potential candidates for the Awujale throne who attempted to induce the family with money. Owoyemi vows that the selection of the successor to the late Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona, will not be compromised by money politics.

Adetona, before his passing in 2025, invited Owoyemi to the palace in February, urging reconciliation and affirming him as a trusted ally. He also asked Owoyemi to keep in touch constantly as one of the senior title holders in his government.

The council of elders in the Fusengbuwa ruling house has stated that they only want a transparent and fair selection process where only the best from their ruling house are put forward to the kingmakers. Splinter groups within the ruling house, previously led by figures such as Dr. Kunle Hassan, have submitted to the court's decision after the judgment.

Owoyemi has extended an olive branch to aggrieved members of the ruling house, urging them to maintain unity. He claimed that attempts to distort history have been quashed by the Appeal Court judgment. The defendants failed to prove the allegation of fraud in the Ijebu Ode High Court judgment of 2018 that denied Owoyemi recognition.

Prince Adedokun Ajidagba has claimed that he is the legitimate head of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, but Owoyemi has not acknowledged this claim. Owoyemi remains a bona fide son of Ijebu land according to his statement.

The current deputy of the Awujale of Ijebu Ode is Oba Akinruntan. During the 2019 Ojude Oba festival, Adetona warned against attempts by moneybags to hijack the succession process. Owoyemi is ready to make concessions for the sake of peace, but only if they are not injurious.

Owoyemi urged members of the Fusengbuwa family to shun division, greed, and strife to produce the best Awujale in the history of Ijebu and Yoruba land. He continues to work towards unity and a fair selection process, ensuring the tradition and dignity of the Awujale title are upheld.