Awujale succession crisis deepens as Adele Council drags Abiodun, AIAC to court

The Adele Awujale-in-Council has filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify the recent reconstitution of the Awujale-in-Council (AIAC) and the appointments of its members, which it claims are illegal and unconstitutional. The council is asking the court to issue a permanent injunction preventing the state governor, along with others, from interfering with its customary functions.

Additionally, the council seeks an injunction that would bar AIAC members from conducting meetings or wielding any traditional or administrative authority over Ijebu-Ode. They have also submitted a motion requesting an interlocutory injunction to prevent AIAC members from acting in their official roles and to stop the governor from recognizing or funding them while the lawsuit is pending.

Council representative Kuku stated that the lawsuit is unrelated to the ongoing succession process, which he noted is currently focused on selecting a candidate from 95 nominees submitted to the Afobajes, the traditional kingmakers. Kuku emphasized that the legal action aims to preserve the cultural practices and heritage associated with the Adele Awujale.

He asserted the council’s prior advice to the governor regarding cultural traditions prior to the alleged formation of the AIAC. Kuku characterized the suit as an effort to safeguard Ijebu-Ode’s traditions rather than a confrontational act.

Historically, Kuku pointed out that no AIAC was constituted before the installation of the late Oba Adetona in 1960, underlining that the Adele concept, traditionally led by the Ogbeni Oja, is integral to the Awujale institution itself.

This legal dispute follows the death of the Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, in July 2025. An interim administrative body was created by the state government in August 2025, but traditional leaders opted to dissolve it in favor of reinstating the Adele Awujale-in-Council. The government’s subsequent announcement of a reconstituted AIAC has been met with criticism from traditional chiefs, who argue that it undermines local customs.

The succession process has faced multiple challenges, including two separate lawsuits: HCJ/149/2026, filed by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House against Governor Abiodun and the kingmakers, and HCJ/167/2026, which involves a defamation claim and a leadership dispute within the ruling house. High-profile figures, including Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, known as K1, have also filed complaints related to alleged procedural violations during the selection process.

The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has paused the selection process twice amid allegations of financial misconduct and security concerns. Despite assurances from Governor Abiodun that a new Awujale will be announced before May 29, 2027, the Adele Awujale-in-Council insists that adherence to the rule of law and the integrity of the position must not be compromised for political reasons.

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