Awujale stool: KWAM1 Alleges Exclusion From Selection Process

Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM1, has accused Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, of allowing his alleged exclusion from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.

KWAM1 made the allegation in a letter dated January 8, 2026, addressed to Governor Abiodun through his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN. In the letter, he claimed that the Fusengbuwa ruling house, which is next in line to produce the Awujale, is issuing directives that allegedly violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, with the aim of preventing him from contesting for the throne.

The selection process for the new Awujale has reportedly drawn over 60 aspirants, including Ayinde. However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that the musician is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore not qualified to participate.

KWAM1 had earlier approached the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to halt the selection process involving the governor and six others. The court dismissed the application for lack of merit, after which Ayinde withdrew the suit without offering reasons.

In his latest petition, Ayinde said the Ijebu Ode Local Government, through a letter dated January 6, 2026, approved the commencement of the selection process by the ruling house. He expressed concern that despite preparations for a general family meeting, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, issued a notice directing candidates to obtain nomination forms and appear before a screening committee.

According to the letter, the nomination exercise was scheduled for January 12, 2026, while delegates responsible for the process were to be selected at a meeting fixed for January 10, 2026—an arrangement KWAM1 argued was inconsistent with existing laws governing chieftaincy matters.

Ayinde insisted that all qualified members of the ruling house have the right to participate in nominating candidates and warned that allowing a small group to control the process would amount to disenfranchisement.

Responding, the Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed receipt of the letter but dismissed its contents, describing it as baseless and misleading. He argued that screening was necessary due to the large size of the ruling house, which he said has over 20,000 members.

The Fusengbuwa family has scheduled the nomination meeting for Monday, January 12, 2026. The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years.

Meanwhile, efforts to get a reaction from the Ogun State Government were unsuccessful, as the governor’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, had yet to respond to enquiries at the time of reporting.