Substantive Suit Set for January 14, 2026**
In a significant ruling that keeps the succession process for the Awujale of Ijebuland on track, the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode on Monday dismissed an application by popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, better known as KWAM1, seeking an interim injunction to stop Governor Dapo Abiodun and other respondents from proceeding with the selection and installation of the next paramount ruler.
Represented by Wahab Shittu (SAN), KWAM1 — who had declared his interest in the vacant stool, claiming descent from the Jadiara Royal House within the wider Fusengbuwa Ruling House — argued that the injunction was essential to protect his interests and prevent the “res” (subject matter of the suit) from being dissipated pending the full hearing of his substantive challenge.
Justice A. A. Omoniyi, however, held that the application lacked merit and that no compelling grounds existed to justify granting the interim relief. The judge instead ordered an expedited hearing of the main suit (HC3/238/2025), fixing January 14, 2026, for proceedings.
The suit, filed ex parte on December 16, 2025, names as respondents Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government (Dare Alebiosu), Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (Ganiyu Hamzat), Secretary to Ijebu-Ode Local Government (Oke Adebanjo), Chairman of the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council (Dr. Olorogun Sunny Kuku), and the Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House (Otunba Lateef Owoyemi).
KWAM1’s claim hinges on alleged lineage ties to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House — whose turn it is under the rotational system established by the 1957/1959 chieftaincy declarations and the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law — but the ruling house has repeatedly rejected his eligibility, declaring in a December 11, 2025, letter that no proof exists of his membership in the Jadiara Royal House or the broader Fusengbuwa lineage, rendering his submitted linkage form “null, void, and of no consequence.”
The controversy erupted following the July 13, 2025, passing of the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, after a 65-year reign. Initial steps directed the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to produce candidates within 14 days, but procedural issues led to a government-ordered cancellation of the process in mid-December, with multiple aspirants (reports suggest up to 60) expressing interest amid debates over rotation and eligibility.
KWAM1’s legal team invoked Order 38 Rules 4 and Order 39 Rule 1 of the Ogun State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2024, Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (fair hearing rights), and the court’s inherent jurisdiction, insisting the process violates chieftaincy law and his constitutional entitlements.
With the interim block rejected, the selection machinery can continue unless restrained at the substantive stage. The January 14 hearing will now decide whether KWAM1’s lineage claim holds water and if the current process breaches established customs and statutes.
The ruling underscores the delicate balance between traditional rotation, documented chieftaincy declarations, and judicial oversight in one of Yorubaland’s most prestigious stools. As Ijebuland awaits its new paramount ruler, the courtroom — rather than the palace — has become the immediate battleground.
