…Selection Meeting Delayed, Raising Uncertainty Over Next Awujale
… Lineage Disputes Fuel Tension w
Within Jadiara, Bubiade Units
Daud Olatunji
As the long‑anticipated race to fill the vacant Awujale of Ijebuland stool intensifies, traditional leaders and chiefs in Ijebuland have unveiled a symbolic prototype for the incoming monarch, the Jagiirin ,even as deep tensions simmer within the ruling house tasked with naming the next king.
The unveiling, captured in a 5:27‑second video clip obtained by PLATFORM TIMES, introduced the Jagiirin — described by Balogun Kuku as the chosen pathfinder for the next Awujale.
The future monarch will be selected by the Fusengbuwa ruling family and kingmakers, before being ratified by the Ogun State Government.
The stool became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025, who reigned for 65 years and was widely regarded as a pillar of Ijebu tradition and unity.
The move to unveil the Jagiirin is seen by many chiefs as a positive step in maintaining continuity in the chieftaincy process.
However, internal divisions within the Fusengbuwa ruling house have cast a shadow over the unfolding succession.
A much‑anticipated strategic meeting scheduled for Monday, December 15, which was expected to fast‑track the selection of candidates, was indefinitely postponed by the ruling family.
While an official notice initially called on hopeful contenders to send two representatives, the subsequent postponement letter bore no signature from any ruling family member, raising fresh questions about unity and coordination within the royal lineage.
The succession drama has drawn nationwide attention after Fuji music legend Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1, formally declared his intention to contest for the Awujale stool, a rare and high‑profile twist in a process usually confined to royal circles.
Media reports state that KWAM 1 wrote to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in early December notifying them of his interest, invoking Ijebu customary law and Ogun State chieftaincy provisions.
However, the ruling house has firmly rejected his claim, declaring his lineage documents “null, void and of no consequence.”
In a December 11 letter, the Fusengbuwa family said its investigation found no evidence linking the musician to the Jadiara Royal House or the broader Fusengbuwa lineage, which is currently entitled to present candidates for the Awujale throne.
The ruling house letter also questioned the legitimacy of the certification attached to KWAM 1’s documents, noting inconsistencies, including that the form was endorsed before the musician signed it, and stressed that the person who certified it lacked recognised authority within the royal structure.
Since then, several family heads from the Jadiara and Bubiade units of the ruling house have publicly denied any genealogical tie to KWAM 1, further complicating his bid and highlighting fractures within the royal family.
Insiders tell PLATFORM TIMES that the stalemate and the stalled meeting mean the selection of the next Awujale, once hoped to be concluded by January 2026, may now be significantly delayed.
Under traditional succession rules and the Chiefs Law of 1957, thorough verification of lineage, transparent nomination of eligible princes, and approval by state authorities are prerequisites before a coronation can proceed.
Amid the impasse, voices within the palace have continued to endorse the Jagiirin.
Balogun Alausa publicly showered blessings on the prototype, praising its role and praying for guidance, long life, and prosperity.
Balogun Kuku also reaffirmed that the Jagiirin “will guide the Awujale and not go astray,” remarks seen as efforts to reassure loyalists and stabilise opinion within the fractured royal house.
The saga over the Awujale stool , one of the most revered traditional thrones in Yorubaland, showed the delicate balance between centuries‑old customs, family dynamics, and contemporary influences in Nigeria’s evolving chieftaincy politics.
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