The Fusengbuwa Royal Ruling House has insisted that no form of political interference, financial inducement or intimidation should be allowed to influence the selection of the next Awujale of Ijebuland, stressing that the revered stool must be filled strictly in line with age-long customs and traditions.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, the spokesman of the ruling house, Prince Tunde Ogidan, warned that any attempt to manipulate the succession process through money or pressure would amount to a violation of Ijebu tradition and an affront to 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.
He attributed the growing tension and protests surrounding the succession process to misinformation and poor understanding of how the selection exercise is conducted, noting that the royal family initially remained silent to observe developments.
“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 led to the expansion of the family across several 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 conducted strictly by the royal family in accordance with the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law, and not 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 earlier disagreements had been resolved and that the family now speaks 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.
On allegations that aspirants were required to pay ₦10 million, Ogidan acknowledged that contributions were initially discussed to cover logistics but said the idea was later abandoned 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 reiterating 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.
Responding to allegations by a nominee that his name was omitted from the list, Ogidan said documentation would ultimately determine eligibility, adding that spelling errors or name variations could be corrected during interviews.
He emphasised that no individual or group could impose a candidate, noting that the process involves interviews, traditional rites and legal confirmation by the government.
“No candidate can be selected and imposed. The process involves interviews, traditional requirements and legal confirmation by the government,” Ogidan said.
The spokesman, therefore, urged the Ogun State Government to allow the kingmakers to carry out their duties without interference, expressing confidence that adherence to due process would ensure a peaceful and legitimate transition.
