The head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, has appealed to Dapo Abiodun to lift the suspension on the Awujale selection process and allow kingmakers to complete their work.
Owoyemi, a former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, said the royal family next in line to produce the Awujale, along with indigenes of Ijebuland both at home and abroad, were unhappy, frustrated, and saddened by the indefinite suspension imposed by the state government.
Speaking on Sunday, he praised the governor for his support so far but urged him to ensure that nothing delays the conclusion of the selection process. He noted that he had been receiving daily calls from Ijebu indigenes within Nigeria and overseas seeking updates on the emergence of a new Awujale.
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Owoyemi said the royal family appreciated the governor’s efforts but pleaded with him to allow the process to resume so kingmakers could carry out their traditional duty of selecting the next monarch.
He explained that the continued delay was causing growing concern, especially as important cultural and religious events approach. With Ramadan ongoing and the annual Ojude Oba festival expected during Eid-el-Kabir, he questioned who would oversee preparations without a reigning Awujale.
Owoyemi said the prolonged suspension had left the royal family and the wider Ijebu community in uncertainty, adding that many people were eager for a new monarch to emerge. He stressed that the kingmakers are respected individuals who would carry out their responsibility with integrity.
He urged the government to conclude its review of any concerns and allow the selection process to continue without further delay. According to him, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House remains hopeful that the governor will lift the embargo and enable the kingmakers to complete their assignment.
The appeal follows the state government’s decision last month to suspend the selection process for the second time. In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, the government said the suspension was necessary due to numerous petitions submitted by security agencies and other stakeholders.
