ABEOKUTA — The race for the vacant stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland has taken a dramatic turn as the Fidipote Ruling House has formally declared itself eligible to present a candidate, citing the lapse of the statutory period granted to the initially entitled Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
This development introduces a new layer of complexity to the contest, which already includes popular musician and Olori Omo’ba of Ijebuland, Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM 1), who had earlier declared his intention to contest under the Fusengbuwa House.
In a letter addressed to the Ijebu-Ode Local Government, the Fidipote Royal Family invoked provisions of the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law, 2021, and the Awujale Chieftaincy Declaration of 1959. The family argued that the Fusengbuwa House failed to present a candidate within the legally mandated 14-day window, which expired on December 16, 2025.
“Under Section 16(1)(c) of the Chieftaincy Law, where an entitled ruling house defaults, the next ruling house in the order of rotation automatically becomes eligible to present candidate(s),” the document stated. According to the 1959 declaration, Fidipote is next in line after Fusengbuwa.
Consequently, the family announced it is now legally empowered to submit candidate(s) for screening by the Awujale Kingmakers.
To this end, the Fidipote Royal Family has scheduled a general meeting for Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the Fidipote Royal Hall in Ijebu-Ode. The meeting will serve as a forum for intending candidates to formally express interest, undergo customary screening, and participate in a voting process to select the candidate(s) to be forwarded.
The letter, signed by Oba Tajudeen Ibirogba Ishola Omotayo (the Onimope of Imope and Olori Ebi of the Fidipote Royal Family) and Omooba Tunde Aderibigbe (the family secretary), assured authorities that the process would be conducted “peacefully, transparently, and strictly in accordance with extant laws and established customs.”
As of press time, neither the Ogun State Government nor the Ijebu-Ode Local Government had issued an official response to the Fidipote House’s letter.
The move sets the stage for a potential contest between the procedural rights of the next ruling house and the political momentum behind candidates who may have aligned with the initially entitled house, ensuring that the succession process for one of Yorubaland’s most prominent thrones remains closely watched.
