Once again, the Ogun State government has ordered the immediate end of the screening process for a new Awujale of Ijebuland.
According to Daily Independent, the administration said it was worried about public order, safety, and the integrity of the traditional stool.
The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs sent an official letter to the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area on January 20, 2026, giving the order.
We got the letter yesterday. It was signed by Ganiyu Hamzat, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The state government said that it had received a number of petitions, as well as reports from security agencies and other important groups, about the current selection process.
The government says that the Awujale stool is the most important one in Yorubaland and one of the most important traditional stools in Ogun State.
The letter said that the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who ruled for 65 years, made the throne much more prestigious and relevant in modern times. This made people pay more attention to and scrutinize the process of choosing his successor.
Given these events, the government declared it was necessary to stop the process in order to keep the peace, protect the integrity of the selection process, and protect the sacredness of the Awujale stool.
The administration said that the decision was made in accordance with the Obas and Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State, 2021, which gives the Executive Council the ability to set aside an appointment if it is necessary for the sake of peace, order, and good governance.
The letter said, “Based on the reports it has, the government has decided to take action right away by stopping the process in its entirety.”
As a result, the Local Government has been told to tell the Awujale Kingmakers Council and the Fusengbuwa Ruling House right away what the government has decided.
The ruling house, in particular, was told to wait for more instructions from the state administration about how to choose people.
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