Hundreds of residents of Ijebu Ode on Friday staged a peaceful protest against what they described as attempts by the Ogun State Government to impose a preferred candidate on the vacant stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland.
Gatekeepers News reports that the protesters marched from the vicinity of the Awujale’s Palace to the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat, days after the state government suspended the succession process for the second time, citing petitions and security concerns.
Many of the demonstrators were from the Fusengbuwa ruling house — the only family entitled to present candidates under the existing chieftaincy declaration. They carried placards with inscriptions such as “Fusengbuwa Family Say No to Imposition,” “No Government Interference in Our Tradition,” and “Let the Ruling House Decide.”
The protest reflects rising tensions over the succession following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, after a 65-year reign.
In a letter dated January 20, 2026, signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, the state government ordered the suspension of all activities connected to the selection process.
The directive cited a growing number of petitions, including one reportedly submitted by popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde, alleging unlawful exclusion from the process.
However, kingmakers and members of the ruling house have insisted that the selection must strictly follow traditional guidelines and remain free from external interference.
