IJEBU-ODE —The crisis within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House over the selection of the next Awujale of Ijebuland has moved deeper into the courts.
The chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi; Deputy Chairman Otunba Dokun Ajidagba; Vice Chairman Prof Fassy Yusuf; and Secretary Pastor Jeremiah Salami have sued 12 other family members before the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu-Ode.
The claimants are seeking N1 billion in general damages over what they describe as unfounded allegations that damaged their reputation and standing within the ruling house.
The defendants include Pa Olusegun Olusoga, Ridwan Oduneye, Muyiwa Adeleye, Taiwo Ajumo, Sikiru Adegunwa Oluwole, Kehinde Lawal, Lukman Logunleko Oludare, Prince Abdul Onalaja, Ashiru Mufutau, Prince Osiyemi Johnson, Prince Adeleke Adeyemi and Otunba Olukayode Otufale.
The dispute centres on the leadership of the ruling house and the process for selecting a successor to the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
How the family dispute escalated
The claimants say the current leadership structure emerged from a November 7, 2025 resolution following a meeting convened by the Ogun State Government.
They maintain that three previously separate units of the ruling house were merged and that Owoyemi, Ajidagba and Yusuf were recognised as the principal leaders.
The claimants say they subsequently handled the nomination process for the next Awujale on behalf of the ruling house. But the relationship broke down.
A breakaway group later established a fact-finding committee and accused the ruling house leadership of financial inducement, document manipulation and other irregularities.
The family meeting held in August subsequently announced the removal of Owoyemi, Ajidagba and Yusuf. The three leaders rejected the allegations and questioned the validity of the process that purportedly removed them.
The new suit now asks the court to determine whether the purported removal was valid. The claimants also want an injunction preventing the defendants from presenting themselves as leaders or representatives of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
A succession process already under pressure
The dispute comes as the wider Awujale succession process remains stalled.Oba Adetona died on July 13, 2025, aged 91, after a 65-year reign.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House is the family designated to produce the next Awujale under the applicable rotational arrangement.
The government halted the selection process in January 2026 after petitions and concerns surrounding the process. The ruling house had already produced 95 aspirants, comprising 94 princes and one princess.
The latest lawsuit adds another legal layer to a succession process already facing internal disagreement and litigation.
The immediate issue before the court is not simply who becomes the next Awujale.It is also who has the lawful authority to speak for the ruling house while that process continues.
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ValidViewNetwork reports that the new suit was filed on September 16, 2026, and is separate from the earlier case involving the Ogun State Government and Awujale kingmakers.
