Customary Law and Ijebu Traditions Must Guide Awujale Succession — Prince Olawunmi Warns Kingmakers

Prince Samuel Olawunmi, Assistant Secretary of the Four Ruling Houses of the Awujale (Idile Oba Merin Awujale) and a prominent member of the Anikinaiya Ruling House — which produced the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona — has urged Ijebu kingmakers to uphold the dictates of customary law and ancient traditions in the selection of the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

Speaking with journalists in Ijebu-Ode on Friday, Prince Olawunmi, popularly known as Anikinaiya, cautioned against allowing wealth or social influence to dictate the royal succession process. He reminded stakeholders that the late Oba Adetona himself had warned against such tendencies during his reign.

“Historically, past Awujales were ordinary Ijebu citizens — hunters, herbalists, native doctors, barbers, and even students. For instance, the late Awujale Sikiru Adetona was an undergraduate when he ascended the throne. This shows that the stool has always been guided by heritage, not affluence,” he stated.

Prince Olawunmi emphasized that while it is currently the turn of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to present candidates, the right to do so must not override the customary laws, cultural norms, and ancestral traditions that bind all four ruling houses.

“The Awujale stool belongs collectively to the four ruling houses of Ijebu-Ode, not to one family alone. Any attempt to exclude others from the process or disregard long-standing customs would amount to violating our sacred heritage,” he added.

Reflecting on Ijebu royal history, Prince Olawunmi paid tribute to the late Prince Adebisi Fasasi Adeyemi (Obanlefa) of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, who served as the family’s Olori-Ebi (head) for 25 years — a period he described as “one of unity and stability among the four ruling houses.”

He noted that the current Head of the Four Ruling Houses, Alhaji Toheeb Alaga, who also leads the Anikinaiya Ruling House, has continued to foster harmony and cohesion within the royal lineage.

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Recalling his early years under the tutelage of his late uncles, Pa Abdul-Kafar Bifajoko Olowu and Prince (Dr.) Adebola Sanya, Prince Olawunmi described Obanlefa as a towering figure whose leadership preserved the dignity and legitimacy of the Fusengbuwa family.

He reaffirmed that the eight sub-lineages (Idi Igi Meejo) of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House remain the legitimate descendants recognized under Ijebu hereditary succession principles.

On the legal framework governing the succession, Prince Olawunmi referenced the 1957 Chiefs Law (Section 4[2]), which prescribes that the Awujale stool be filled by male descendants from the Abidagba Okunrin line, followed by those from the Abidagba Obirin and Abidoye lines in order of precedence.

“The 2021 Obas and Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State reaffirms this long-standing legal foundation. It is, therefore, the duty of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and the Ijebu kingmakers to strictly observe these provisions to protect the integrity of the Awujale institution,” he cautioned.

Prince Olawunmi called for unity, fairness, and adherence to historical truth during the ongoing royal transition, urging influential elders such as Alhaji Lateef Owoyemi and Prince Adedokun Ajidagba to emulate the selfless legacy of the late Obanlefa in safeguarding the royal heritage.

“The legitimacy of any candidate must rest on traceable lineage and respect for Ijebu customs. This is not a time for division or politics but for preserving the sanctity of our ancestral throne,” he concluded.