Ijebuland succession crisis leads to lawsuit against Ogun State Governor

A succession crisis has emerged in Ijebuland following the July 2025 death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who reigned for 65 years. The process to select the next Awujale has faced repeated suspensions and legal challenges.

Leaders of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, including Chairman Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, Vice-Chairman Prof. Fassy Yusuf, and Deputy Chairman Prince Oladokun Ajidagba, have filed a lawsuit in the Ogun State High Court. The suit names Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Awujale kingmakers, and several other officials as defendants.

The claimants are seeking court orders to compel the completion of the selection process. They are specifically questioning the legal authority of the state government to allegedly lock the Awujale Palace in January 2026 to prevent kingmakers from convening. The lawsuit also seeks to determine if the Obas and Chiefs Law permits the government to halt the nomination process.

Internal disputes have also surfaced within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House. There are allegations of financial inducement and document manipulation involving senior officials, though the accused leaders have rejected these claims, labeling those behind the accusations as “usurpers and impostors.”