It has been exactly one year since the paramount ruler and Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II, joined his ancestors on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 91.
The transition of the iconic monarch, who reigned for a historic 65 years, has left one of Nigeria’s most revered and politically influential traditional stools vacant. While the people of Ijebuland initially hoped for a seamless succession, the race to fill the empty throne has instead devolved into a complex web of legal, political, and familial gridlocks.
1. The Crowd of Contenders: 95 Aspirants for One Crown
By custom and rotation, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House is next in line to produce the next Awujale. However, any hopes of a quiet consensus were shattered when the family nominated an unprecedented 95 aspirants (comprising 94 princes and one princess) to the kingmakers.
The diverse and highly influential pool of contenders includes:
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Giwa Abiodun Onanuga: Businessman and husband of former Ogun State Deputy Governor, Yetunde Onanuga.
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Dr. Kunle Hassan: Renowned ophthalmologist and founder of the Eye Foundation Hospital.
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Otunba Fatai Arowolo: Chairman of Aron Construction.
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Oluwakemi Onanuga: A prominent lawyer and the sole female aspirant.
The sheer volume of candidates forced the ruling house to introduce a strict “seven-generation genealogical verification form” to weed out those who could not definitively prove their direct royal lineage.
2. State-Enforced Suspensions and Allegations of Bribery
The selection process has been halted not once, but twice, by the Ogun State Government.
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The First Halt (December 2025): The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs ordered a total restart of the process after identifying procedural and statutory errors in how the Ijebu-Ode Local Government initially activated the succession.
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The Second Halt (January 20, 2026): Just as the Fusengbuwa Ruling House successfully compiled its nominee list, the state government issued an indefinite suspension of the selection process. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, cited serious security concerns, petitions from rival factions, and the urgent need to maintain public order.
Adding to the tension, the Ogun State Police Command summoned and interrogated several kingmakers over allegations that they had accepted massive financial inducements to favor certain wealthy aspirants. While the kingmakers have dismissed the bribery allegations as “frivolous,” the police investigation further stalled any momentum toward crowning a new king.
3. “No Monarch, No Problem” — Ojude Oba 2026 Holds Regardless
The cultural impact of the vacant throne was felt most acutely during the annual Ojude Oba Festival in mid-2026.
Historically, the festival is a grand display of Ijebu culture where distinct age grades (Regberegbe) pay homage to the reigning Awujale. With the throne vacant, rumors swirled that the festival would be canceled.
However, the Awujale Council of Chiefs, led by its Secretary, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, insisted that the festival is an enduring institution that transcends individual monarchs. Supported by corporate sponsors like Globacom, the 2026 Ojude Oba held as scheduled, with the festival’s theme explicitly refocused to celebrate the late Oba Adetona’s 65-year legacy. The events were overseen by an interim Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council to preserve the sacred traditions.
What Lies Ahead?
The stalemate shows no signs of an easy resolution.
A rival lineage, the Fidipote Ruling House, has petitioned the state government to disqualify the Fusengbuwa line entirely, arguing they missed their statutory submission window. Meanwhile, the kingmakers continue to appeal to Governor Dapo Abiodun to lift the suspension and allow them to execute their traditional duties.
As the legal battles and political maneuvering drag on in Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode, the people of Ijebuland continue to wait for the white smoke that will signal the arrival of their next paramount ruler.
Ayodele Quadri
Correspondent
