News Investigators/ A vacation judge, Justice A. A. Omoniyi of Court 3, Ogun State High Court, sitting in Ijebu-Ode, on Wednesday gave an interim ruling returning a suit filed by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House against Governor Dapo Abiodun, the nine kingmakers and others over the stoppage of the selection process for the next Awujale to the administrative judge for reassignment.
Justice Omoniyi said he would be embarking on his annual vacation within the next one week and might not return to duty until January 2027.
He said he was aware of the urgency of the suit, numbered HCJ/149/2026 and filed on August 21, 2026, but was constrained by time, having only one week left before embarking on his annual vacation.
Omoniyi therefore ruled, in the interim, that the case file should be returned to the administrative judge for reallocation. He adjourned the matter to September 23 for continued hearing.
The judge said he did not see the possibility of completing all that was required in the case before the next scheduled date, given the limited time available to him before his vacation.
Justice Omoniyi said the circumstances surrounding the case, as well as the interest of justice and the need for the matter to progress, compelled him to return the file to the administrative judge, who could either assign it to another judge returning from the vacation or decide to retain it.
He said this would enable the case to be mentioned on September 23, 2026, before the appropriate judge.
Speaking earlier, counsel to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Otunba Olusegun Otayemi, told the court that all 15 defendants had been duly served and that the family was ready to proceed with the suit.
Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaiye, SAN, who announced his appearance for the 7th to 15th defendants, the kingmakers, alongside Stephen Abolaji Okoya, Esq., as well as W. A. Onawole, a state counsel who announced his appearance for Governor Abiodun, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, and four other defendants, said they were still within the stipulated time and would file their responses to the suit in due time.
Also in court were the kingmakers, led by Awujale Regent, Olorogun (Dr.) Sunny Kuku, co-founder of EKO Hospital and the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland.
Others included Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House; his deputy, Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba; and the vice chairman, Prof. Fassy Yusuf.
In a media chat with Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, after the court sitting, Kalejaiye said the Fusengbuwa Ruling House was asking the court to direct the government to stop interfering in the selection process and allow the Afobajes, or kingmakers, to carry out their statutory responsibilities.
He said the appointment of recognised chiefs was governed by the Chiefs Law and that the process was subject to specific timelines.
“The truth of the matter is that the Afobajes that I represent have been brought to court by the Fusengbuwa ruling house saying that they want the court to order the government to leave their big feet from the selection process which has been commenced. So, they’re asking for an order for the Afobajes to do their job and for the government to go and do their job.
“And I think it’s a very simple matter, really. Because I think the issue of the appointment of any recognized chief is governed by the chief’s law. And these are time calibrated.
“You know, 7 days, 14 days, 21 days. So, I think, well, from the point of view of the Afobajes they want to do their job and leave the Jebus and Awujale.”
On the court’s decision, Kalejaiye said the judge had returned the file to the administrative judge because he was a vacation judge and would soon proceed on his annual vacation.
“Well, the position is that the court said that it’s a vacation judge and as such would not want to start the matter now. We’ll return the file back to the admin judge who will either assign it to herself or give it to another judge to do. But in the event that the admin judge says he should continue they will come back on the 23rd of September.”
On his part, Otayemi said the family approached the court to challenge what it described as unnecessary government interference in the process of selecting the next Awujale following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who died at the age of 91 after reigning for 65 years in July last year.
He said, “Well, we’ve brought an action, essentially, because there was a stoppage of selection process after it has been initiated. And the law, as we know it, does not permit of a deliberate stoppage.
“Yes, if there are things that cause delays here and there, that can be excused, but not a deliberate, orchestrated stoppage, that’s why we are in court. So, and like you heard the judge, is a vacation judge. So, it’s like if he’s not available when next we are around, it may be going to another court.
“This matter is something that has some urgency in it. Ijebu Ode cannot remain kingless for so long. And that’s one of the reasons why we are in court”.
Also speaking with Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, the Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, said the family had to approach the court for redress because it could not afford to wait indefinitely for the next Awujale to be appointed from its family.
Owoyemi said, “We waited for 7 months. We had only 14 days by the law to do what we have done. And we did it within 10 days and immediately we delivered the papers to the kingmakers they only had 7 days to finish and appoint an Awujale.
“From nowhere, a letter came asking that the whole thing stop because of what they call petitions which we never saw, we don’t know who wrote the petitions, the security report which we have never seen a copy of till today’s date.
“And we’ve been waiting for 7 months! The Imam, the Muslims of Ijebuland, the Christians of Ijebuland, have tried all they could in the whole world to have access to the governor so that this matter can move forward, but nothing has happened! We can’t wait forever! And we have to approach the court for intervention”.
Recall that the ruling house had dragged Governor Abiodun, the Awujale kingmakers and five others, including the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, before the High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode, seeking orders compelling the completion of the process for the selection of the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.
The suit, numbered HCJ/149/2026 and dated August 21, 2026, was filed by Otunba Owoyemi, chairman of the ruling house; Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba, deputy chairman; and Prof. Chief Fassy Yusuf, vice chairman of the royal house.
Also joined in the suit were the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Mr Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN; the Ogun State Executive Council; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat; and the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government.
Others listed as defendants are members of the Awujale Afobaje/Kingmakers Council, including Olorogun Sonny Kuku, Chief Rasheed Adesanya, Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Osifeso, Chief Jimi Lawal, Chief Abimbola Okenla, Chief Kunle Ogunade, Chief Agboola Alausa, Chief Adebisi Adaran and Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja.
The claimants are asking the court to determine whether the government had the legal power to order or facilitate the alleged entry into and locking of the Awujale Palace on January 20, 2026, “to physically prevent” the kingmakers from convening and concluding their statutory selection process for the new Awujale.
They also want the court to determine whether the Obas and Chiefs Law permits the state government to halt the nomination or selection process for the Awujale “under any guise.”
The claimants are further seeking a determination that, having convened a meeting of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and completed its internal nomination process within the period prescribed by law, the family had discharged its statutory responsibility under Section 16 of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at the age of 91, after 65 years on the throne.
The Ogun State Government had halted the selection process in January 2026, citing petitions from security agencies and stakeholders, following an earlier suspension over procedural concerns in December 2025.
A total of 95 aspirants — 94 princes and one princess — had emerged from the ruling house nomination process held in Ijebu-Ode in December before the government halted the selection process.