The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu land has faulted the protest letter written by popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM1), to Governor Dapo Abiodun, in which he alleged deliberate exclusion from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
In the letter dated January 8, 2026, and written by his lawyer, Dr Wahab Shittu (SAN), the musician claimed that the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, next in line to produce the monarch, had issued directives unknown to the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, allegedly to disenfranchise him from contesting.
Reacting on Sunday, the Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Prof Fassy Yusuf, dismissed the allegations, describing the protest letter as “arrant nonsense” with no impact on the selection process.
“It is a misguided letter. Either Wahab Shittu is being misled, or Wasiu Ayinde is being misled. It is arrant nonsense,” Yusuf said during a telephone interview with Punch.
“The letter was directed to the government, so they will respond appropriately. The issue being raised about screening is illogical. We have over 20,000 members in the ruling house. How does he expect us to manage the crowd? What is being talked about is illogical,” he added.
Yusuf also confirmed that the ruling house had fixed Monday for the nomination meeting of aspirants for the vacant stool.
Background To The Dispute
The selection process for the new Awujale, which has reportedly attracted over 60 aspirants, has generated widespread interest, with Ayinde openly declaring his intention to contest.
However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that the Fuji musician is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore not qualified to participate in the process.
Ayinde had earlier approached the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode, seeking an interim injunction to restrain the governor and six others from proceeding with the selection exercise. The court dismissed the application as lacking merit, after which his lawyer withdrew the suit without explanation.
Following a state government intervention, the ruling house suspended the process and later resumed it.
In a renewed letter to the governor, Ayinde said the Ijebu-Ode Local Government, through a letter dated January 6, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Oke Adebanjo, had approved the commencement of the selection process.
He expressed surprise that while family members were preparing for a meeting, one Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, the ruling house’s Public Relations Officer, issued a notice directing candidates to obtain nomination forms and appear before a screening committee chaired by Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga.
According to the letter, the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, but stated that nominations would be conducted by delegates selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.
Ayinde’s lawyer argued that the directives violated extant laws and were aimed at excluding his client.
“It is a matter of deep concern to our client that all the illegal directives, unknown to the Chieftaincy Declaration, the Obas and Chiefs Law, and the letter of the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, were included in the family’s letter,” Shittu said.
“We wish to emphasise that all members of the ruling house are entitled to attend this important meeting to nominate candidates of their choice. A group of people cannot usurp these rights. The directive providing for screening and nomination by delegates is inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the law,” he added.
The lawyer warned that any attempt to exclude KWAM1 would be resisted, urging the governor to intervene to ensure fairness and due process.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July last year following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at the age of 91, after a 65-year reign