Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1, has withdrawn from the contest for the Awujale of Ijebuland, effectively ending his legal challenge against the ongoing selection process for the traditional stool.
Gatekeepers News reports that KWAM 1 filed a notice of discontinuation at the Ogun State High Court on Monday, December 22, 2025, formally signaling his decision to step away from the race. The notice was filed by his legal team, led by Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN, bringing to a close a case that had generated public interest and debate within Ijebu traditional circles.
The withdrawal followed a ruling by Justice A. A. Omoniyi of High Court 3, Ijebu-Ode Judicial Division, who dismissed KWAM 1’s application for an interim injunction. The application had sought to restrain Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and other parties from proceeding with the selection of a new Awujale pending the determination of the suit.
In his ruling, Justice Omoniyi held that the application for an interim injunction lacked merit. However, the court ruled that the substantive suit could continue and adjourned the matter to January 14, 2026, for further hearing.
Despite the court’s decision to allow the main suit to proceed, KWAM 1 opted to discontinue the case entirely, bringing his bid for the revered throne to an end.
The Fuji icon, who holds the traditional title of Olori Omooba of Ijebuland and is from the Fidipote Ruling House, had approached the court after the Fusengbuwa Ruling House declared him ineligible to contest for the Awujale stool. The ruling house maintained that he was not a bona fide member of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and therefore could not contest under its platform.
KWAM 1’s disqualification had sparked controversy due to his status as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated musicians and a prominent figure in Ijebu cultural life. By filing the notice of discontinuation, he appears to have accepted the court’s position on the interim application and chosen not to pursue the matter further.
The Awujale of Ijebuland remains one of the most influential traditional rulers in Yorubaland, and the process of selecting a new monarch continues to attract widespread attention within and beyond Ogun State.
