Amid reports of the alleged disqualification of some of its members by the council of kingmakers in the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, the Council of Otunbas in Ijebuland has declared that no law prohibits holders of the Otunba title from ascending the Awujale stool.
The Otunba title holders, according to a statement made available to journalists on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to Gov Dapo Abiodun, Mr Lekan Adeniran, made the clarification in a letter addressed to the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council.
The letter was reportedly jointly signed by the council’s chairman, B. Alebiosu; second vice chairman, Akin Osiyemi; and secretary, Ayodele Osibogun.
They were quoted to have stated that "holders of the Otunba title have, at various times in history, ascended to obaship positions and that the title has never constituted a barrier to kingship".
According to the council, the Awujale stool is a sacred traditional institution rather than a political office.
They warned that "any selection process that excludes otherwise eligible candidates could result in legal challenges, communal disharmony, and irreparable damage to the integrity of the Ijebu traditional institution".
The Otunbas explained that the letter was written “in the interest of peace, legality, tradition, and historical accuracy concerning the ongoing process for selecting the next Awujale of Ijebu Land.”
They cited the Chieftaincy Declarations registered in 1957 and approved in 1959, noting that "succession to the Awujale stool is governed exclusively by these declarations"
“The Declarations contain no provision, express or implied, that disqualifies an otherwise eligible candidate merely because he previously held the title of Otunba,” the council stated.
They added that any alleged customary rule not expressly incorporated into the registered Declarations has no legal effect following their promulgation.
The statement is reportedly coming amid ongoing discussions over eligibility for the next Awujale of Ijebuland, with some narratives introducing purported disqualifications that which the council of Otunbas said lacked foundation in law or registered custom.
Recall that members of the Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu Ode had on Friday took to the street of the Ijebu Ode metropolis to register their displeasure over alleged plan to impose a candidate on the family for the ongoing selection process of the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
Fusengbuwa, one of the four ruling houses of Ijebu Ode is the next to fill the vacant stool of Awujale.
The stool became vacant last year July after the demise of 91-year old Oba Sikiru Adetona who reigned for 65 years.
The protesters were armed with placards bearing different inscriptions such as
"Fusengbuwa say no to imposition".
"Let Ifa oracle determine the next Awujale", "Let the kingmakers do their job, we say no to imposition" among others.
Addressing the protesters, the Chairman of the local government, Dare Alebiosu debunked the allegation of the plan by the government to impose any candidate on the family.
The LG boss said that the palace had also been opened since Thursday and that he would nevertheless relay their concerns of the Awujale selection process to the governor
Recall that the state government on Wednesday in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, halted the selection process of Awujale due to the flood of petitions received from security agencies and other stakeholders
This decision of the government had reportedly raised tension with some reports alleging the government of halting the selection process to pave way for its imposition plan.
The state government in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to Gov Dapo Abiodun, Mr Kayode Akinmade however dismissed this allegations of imposition plan describing it as baseless and outright falsehood.
Akinmade said that the governor remains committed to upholding due process, respecting the autonomy of traditional institutions, and ensuring a fair process in the selection of a new Awujale for Ijebu.
He urged members of the public, traditional stakeholders, and the media to disregard these unfounded insinuations and rely solely on verified information from official sources
Addressing journalists shortly after the government halted the selection process, the regent and head of the Awujale Interregnum Administration Committee, Dr Sonny Kuku said that the kingmakers saddled with the responsibility of selecting the new Awujale would not tolerate imposition of candidates from any quarters.
Dr Kuku said that kingmakers are actually having sleepless nights and have actually not slept for the past five days as they have been busy scrutinizing over 1200 documents submitted by not fewer than 95 candidates who had signified their interest in the throne.
The renowned medical doctor and co-founder of the popular EKO Hospital, Lagos State said that all of these sleepless nights and scrutiny was to give attention to detail and ensure that only the best emerged as the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
Speaking on reports from the grapevine suggesting government interference, the regent said that the kingmakers are unaware of such move and that such reports are better treated as mere speculation.
He stated further that though, the kingmakers are quite aware of the onerous task before them and would therefore not betray the confidence reposed in them by tolerating any act of imposition.
Kuku said that that there was nothing to be worried about with the decision of the government to halt the selection process of Awujale saying that the kingmakers are in touch with government and would soon have a meeting with the government to resolve any grey areas.
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