Get Guardian on GoogleThe dispute over the administration of Ijebuland following the death of the Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has taken a fresh legal turn, with the Adele Oba Awujale-in-Council instituting a suit against the Ogun State Government over the constitution and reconstitution of an interim administrative body for the kingdom.
The suit, marked HCJ/201/2026 and filed at the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode, challenges the actions of the state government, the governor and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in establishing the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council (AIAC).
The claimants, led by the Adele and Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Olo’rgun Dr Sonny Kuku, contend that the arrangement is inconsistent with the traditional institutions and customary practices governing Ijebu-Ode during an interregnum.
They are asking the court to determine whether the state government has the legal authority to establish an administrative structure that, according to them, displaces the traditional responsibilities of the Adele Oba Awujale-in-Council.
In their claims, the council is seeking a declaration that it is the historically recognised traditional authority entitled to oversee the customary and interim administrative affairs of Ijebu-Ode during the period between the death of an Awujale and the installation of a successor.
It is also asking the court to declare the creation and reconstitution of the AIAC alien to Ijebu customary law, traditions and ancestral practices, and inconsistent with the provisions of the Ogun State Chiefs Law.
The claimants further argue that neither the state legislation nor applicable customary law empowers the governor and other government officials to establish an alternative interregnum administrative structure capable of sidelining the Adele institution.
Among the reliefs sought are orders setting aside the reconstitution of the AIAC and the appointments of its members, described in the suit as irregular, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.
The council is also seeking a permanent injunction restraining the governor, the relevant government authorities and their representatives from interfering with what it describes as its customary administrative functions during the interregnum.
A further order is being sought to prevent the appointed members of the AIAC from holding meetings or exercising traditional, civil or financial administrative authority over Ijebu-Ode under the disputed arrangement.
Council seeks interim court protection
Alongside the substantive suit, the claimants have filed a motion on notice seeking interlocutory injunctions pending the determination of the case.
Specifically, they want the court to restrain the appointed members of the AIAC from holding meetings or exercising administrative authority over the town and the Awujale stool.
They are also asking the court to prevent the governor and other relevant government authorities from recognising, dealing with or providing funds to the council members in their disputed capacity as the administrative authority for Ijebu-Ode.
The applications, if granted, would remain in force pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
Kuku: Suit is about preserving tradition, not succession
Explaining the rationale for the litigation, Kuku said the action was not intended to interfere with the selection of a new Awujale but to protect the traditional administrative arrangements of Ijebuland.
He said the succession process had reached the stage at which the kingmakers, known as Afobajes, were deliberating on candidates drawn from the 95 names submitted to them.
“This new suit has nothing to do with the succession process, which is already at the stage of deliberation on a candidate out of the 95 names sent to the Afobajes. This suit is strictly to preserve the cultural norms, practices and ancestral heritage of Ijebu-Ode on the Adele Awujale concept,” he said.
Kuku maintained that the council had previously drawn the governor’s attention to the historical role of the Adele institution before the first AIAC was constituted.
He described the litigation as an attempt to preserve established customs rather than a confrontation with the state government.
Citing historical precedent, he argued that the administration of the Western Region under its former premier, Chief S.L.A. Akintola, did not establish an interregnum administrative council before the installation of Oba Adetona in 1960.
He added that the Adele institution, historically led by the Ogbeni Oja, predated the present dispute and was as old as the Awujale institution itself.
Dispute follows months of succession uncertainty
The latest litigation adds another layer to the protracted disputes surrounding the emergence of a successor to Oba Adetona, who died in July 2025 after a reign spanning more than six decades.
Following his death, the Ogun State Government established an interim administrative arrangement in August 2025 to oversee affairs pending the emergence and installation of a new monarch.
However, disagreements subsequently emerged between the government and traditional stakeholders over the legitimacy and composition of the arrangement.
The traditional kingmakers and chiefs reportedly resolved to dissolve the initial structure and restore the Adele Oba Awujale-in-Council as the traditional administrative authority during the interregnum.
The government later announced a reconstituted AIAC under a revised leadership arrangement, a decision now being challenged by the Adele council.
The administrative dispute has unfolded alongside separate legal battles over the succession process itself.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House instituted suit HCJ/149/2026 against the governor and kingmakers over the suspension of the selection exercise.
Another case, HCJ/167/2026, reportedly arose from internal disagreements within the ruling house and involves allegations of defamation and a leadership dispute, with N1 billion in damages being claimed.
There have also been legal challenges by prospective candidates, including Fuji musician Otunba Wasiu Olasunkanmi Ayinde Adesanya, popularly known as K1, who has previously approached the court over alleged procedural irregularities and breaches of fair hearing in the screening process.
Meanwhile, the selection exercise has been suspended twice by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs following petitions, financial allegations and security-related concerns.
Government’s succession target faces mounting challenges
Despite the controversies, Governor Dapo Abiodun has reportedly assured stakeholders that a new Awujale would emerge peacefully before the end of his administration on May 29, 2027.
However, the growing number of disputes involving the ruling house, prospective candidates, kingmakers and traditional administrative authorities continues to complicate the process.
The Adele Oba Awujale-in-Council insists that the preservation of Ijebu customs and the rule of law must remain central to the resolution of the crisis.
It has called on sons and daughters of Ijebuland, as well as other stakeholders, to remain calm and law-abiding while the courts consider the issues raised in the latest suit.
