The Ogun State Government has ordered the immediate suspension of the ongoing process to select a new Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, pending further directives.
The directive was conveyed in a letter dated January 20 by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat, to the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government. The suspension, according to the commissioner, followed the receipt of multiple petitions, security reports and concerns raised by key stakeholders.
Hamzat noted that the Awujale stool remains one of the most revered traditional institutions in Ogun State and across Yorubaland, adding that the 65-year reign of the immediate past monarch, Oba Sikiru Adetona, further elevated the prestige and public scrutiny surrounding the throne.
He explained that the government considered it necessary to pause the process to safeguard public order, uphold the integrity of the selection procedure and preserve the sanctity of the revered stool.
Citing provisions of the Obas and Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State, 2021, the commissioner said the state executive council is empowered to set aside any appointment where it is deemed necessary in the interest of peace, order and good governance.
“In view of the reports before it, the government has decided to act proactively by halting the selection process in its entirety,” the letter stated.
The state government has consequently directed that the decision be communicated immediately to the Awujale Kingmakers’ Council and the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, advising them to await further instructions on the selection process.