.As Gov Okpebholo condemns attack on Onojie of Ekpoma’s palace
Not fewer than 95 people, consisting of 94 princes and one princess from the Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu Ode, emerged on Monday as contestants for the vacant stool of the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land.
The contestants emerged at a nomination meeting held by the ruling house at Bisrod Hall, GRA, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
The nomination meeting was presided over by the Chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi; his deputy, Prince Adedokun Ajidagba; and the Vice Chairman, Prof. Fassy Yusuf.
The Secretary to the Ijebu Ode Local Government, Abiodun Oke, and some other local government officials were present as observers.
Some of the contestants include Giwa Abiodun Onanuga, husband of a former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga; Dr Kunle Hassan, a renowned ophthalmologist and founder of Eyes Foundation Hospital; and Otunba Fatai Arowolo of Aron Construction, among others.
The only female contestant is Oluwakemi Onanuga, a lawyer.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July last year following the demise of the 91-year-old Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years.
The contestants at the nomination meeting were represented by two of their relatives.
One of the relations moved the motion for the nomination, while the other seconded it, after which the family registered the nomination as accepted.
Speaking with journalists at the end of the nomination meeting, the family head of Fusengbuwa, Owoyemi, lauded family members for conducting themselves peacefully and ensuring that nothing untoward occurred that could jeopardise the nomination process.
Owoyemi said that, just as the Ifa oracle had foretold, the family was working across the board to ensure that whoever would assume the vacant Awujale stool would further take Ijebu land to greater heights.
The family head and former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria said, “We thank God that what we have feared so much has finally come and gone peacefully.
“We have successfully, peacefully and harmoniously nominated our candidates, 95 of them. It is now left in the hands of the kingmakers to do a very good job conscientiously and pick one of them as the next Awujale.
“The Fusengbuwa family has done a lot of traditional research through the Ifa oracle to guide us on what should be done, and we have no doubt that the kingmakers are going to select the person that the Almighty God himself has appointed. We believe that, by God’s grace, in the next one month, we should have the next Awujale.”
Owoyemi also said that the contestants had earlier signed an agreement to accept the outcome of the selection process and not pursue litigation, adding that the family expected each contestant to abide by the agreement.
He further said that the ruling house believed the government would do the right thing and “pick for the family the Awujale that has been foretold would make Ijebu land the biggest and greatest. We believe God will guide them aright.”
Recall that the selection of a new Awujale has, for some time, generated considerable interest, with Ayinde, popularly called KWAM1, also declaring interest in the throne.
The Fusengbuwa family, the ruling house to produce the next Awujale, however, declared that the legendary Fuji musician was not a member of the family and therefore could not be allowed to be part of the selection process.
Ayinde had approached the state High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction restraining Governor Dapo Abiodun and six others from proceeding with the selection process of the new Awujale.
The court refused to grant the injunction, holding that the application lacked merit.
Ayinde, through his lawyer, however, withdrew the suit, although no tangible reason was offered.
In a recent letter dated January 8 and written to Governor Abiodun by Dr Wahab Shittu, SAN, lawyer to the musician, it was stated that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, through a letter written by its Secretary, Abiodun Oke, dated January 6, 2026, gave the government’s nod for the ruling house to kick off the selection process of the new paramount ruler of Ijebu land.
He stated that it was surprising that, while members of the family were preparing for the meeting, one Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, the Public Relations Officer of the family, issued a notice directing candidates to pick up nomination cards and appear before a screening committee under the chairmanship of Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga.
Ayinde further stated that the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, but also directed that the exercise would be conducted by delegates to be selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.
Shittu said, “It is a matter of deep concern to our client that all the illegal directives that are unknown to the Chieftaincy Declaration, Obas and Chiefs Law, and the letter of the Secretary of Ijebu Ode Local Government were included in the letter of the family to the local government dated January 6, 2026.
“It is clear that there are plans by the leadership of the ruling house to disenfranchise members of the ruling house desirous of participating in the exercise of nomination of candidates to fill the vacancy occurring in the stool of Awujale of Ijebu land.”
The lawyer said his client took exception to the directive from the family, as it was obvious that the ruling house was determined to exclude him from contesting for the throne.
When contacted, the Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed receipt of the letter but described it as “arrant nonsense” and a misguided letter of no consequence to the ongoing selection process.
.As Gov Okpebholo condemns attack on Onojie of Ekpoma’s palace
In another development, Gov. Monday Okpebholo of Edo has condemned the attack on the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Ehizojie Abumere II, by protesters in Ekpoma.
This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Patrick Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor on Monday in Benin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor’s condemnation came after he visited the palace to personally assess the damage allegedly caused by the protesters.
The protesters had allegedly invaded the palace under the guise of expressing grievances over insecurity.
Okpebholo was accompanied by the Edo State Commissioner of Police, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), state chairman and other party stakeholders.
According the statement, vehicles within the palace compound were vandalised, while canopies and chairs were broken. Cartons of Indomie noodles belonging to the Onojie’s wife, who trades in the product, were also destroyed.
Doors and windows of the palace were also damaged.
Okpebholo described the invasion of the palace and the looting of property as criminal and unacceptable, stressing that protests must never be used as an excuse for lawlessness.
He disclosed that a security meeting was held earlier in the week with a strong focus on Edo Central Senatorial District, particularly the Ekpoma axis.
Okpebholo added that the government had rolled out strategic, technology-driven security operations.
The Governor warned that those who hijacked the protest to vandalise the palace and loot property would be brought to justice.
“I want to thank Your Highness for the love you have shown to me and our people over the years.
“They came under the guise of protest and sentiments, then resorted to looting and violence. This is unacceptable.
“We will go after them the same way we are going after kidnappers. Nobody should test our patience.
“I am an Esan man and I got my highest votes here in Ekpoma. I will not allow bad things to happen in this land. In the coming days, our actions will speak for themselves. Nobody involved in this criminality will be spared,” he said.
He assured the traditional ruler and the people of Ekpoma that decisive security operations were imminent.
He noted that peace, law, and order would be fully restored in the community and across Edo Central.
Earlier, the Onojie Abumere II, described the incident as unfortunate, alleging that many of the protesters were under the influence of illicit drugs.
“What transpired was very sad. Many of them were under the influence of drugs. If not for God’s intervention, something worse would have happened,” he said.
He explained that he attempted to address the protesters when they first arrived but was prevented from doing so.
According to him, the protesters later returned while he was away attending a security meeting with other traditional rulers, forced their way into the palace, and unleashed violence. (NAN)
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