Awujale standoff: Religious leaders urge Abiodun to lift ban

Religious leaders in Ijebuland, including the Lord Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ijebu, Rt. Rev. Dr Peter Rotimi Oludipe; the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Sheikh Muftaudeen Ayanbadejo; and a traditionalist and head of Osugbo in Ijebu-Ode, Chief Bolanle Bakare, have pleaded with Governor Dapo Abiodun to lift the embargo placed on the selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebuland since January 2026.

The trio of Rev Oludipe, Sheikh Ayanbadejo and Bakare, who spoke on Sunday during the inauguration of 52 borehole projects in Ijebu-Ode, donated by Abimbola Onabanjo and his wife, Abayomi, said the prolonged delay in installing a successor to the late Oba Sikiru Adetona had become a source of concern to the people.

The Anglican bishop, while speaking to journalists at the event, appealed to the governor to allow the process of selecting the next monarch to proceed to its conclusion.

Oludipe, while speaking with journalists, said, “All of us are aware that the delay is caused by the state government. It’s the governor that has put a kind of a stop to the arrangement of those who are supposed to be in charge of selecting the Awujale.

“So we are looking forward to the governor lifting that ban very soon, so that the process can come to a conclusion that will be acceptable to all.”

The bishop described the kingmakers as people of integrity who should be allowed to perform their duties, adding that the absence of an Awujale was undesirable for the community.

“Our own appeal to the governor is that this ban should be lifted at the earliest possible time, and let’s allow the process to run to conclusion, by the grace of God,” he added.

Oludipe noted that religious leaders were also concerned about the delay because they were part of the community.

He said, “We don’t want any delay. There should not really be a vacuum, particularly when you think of Ijebuland.

“Ijebu is so popular among several communities within the country, Nigeria. So many people are interested. So many people are asking us, ‘What is happening? Why is the Awujale not being installed?’”

The bishop, however, acknowledged that the government might have reasons for placing an embargo on the selection process, but urged it to allow the process to conclude in the interest of Ijebuland.

Oludipe commended Onabanjo and his wife for providing 52 boreholes across Ijebu-Ode, describing the intervention as a “beautiful and laudable project” and saying access to water was essential to the well-being of the people.

The Chief Imam of Ijebuland, on his part, said he remained hopeful that the next Awujale would eventually emerge, describing the matter as one that would be resolved at the appropriate time.

He recalled that he had previously appealed to Muslim clerics to join him in urging the governor to facilitate the installation of the monarch.

According to him, “Time belongs to Allah. When the time comes, it will happen. But that does not mean that something concrete should not be done on time. We all believe that one day, that prayer will come to pass. It will come to fruition.”

Sheikh Ayanbadejo urged the governor to listen to the wishes of the people and trust the kingmakers, whom he described as men of integrity with the pedigree to handle the selection process.

He said, “My advice to the government is that they should follow the voice of our people. Because, in the opinion of the people, they are behind the kingmakers. These are men of integrity, all of them.

“Awujale chose them because they are kingmakers and persons with pedigree. Whatever they say in Ijebuland, nobody can go against them.”

The Chief Imam urged Abiodun to ensure that the monarch emerged during his tenure.

“We are still imploring our governor. The time is still there. We want our governor to be the governor that will sign the certificate. We want the governor to be the governor that will present the staff of office. This is his chance,” he said.

The Chief Imam also expressed gratitude to the couple, saying the provision of 52 boreholes was a major intervention for the people.

The head of the Osugbo in Ijebu-Ode, Bakare, said his community, Idewon, was among the beneficiaries of the project and remained eternally grateful to the couple for helping to solve the challenge of lack of potable water in the community.

He also appealed to the state government to remove what he described as the stoppage of the Awujale installation process.

Bakare said, “We are all waiting for the installation of the new Awujale. We are therefore using this medium to beg the state government to allow the process of selecting the new Awujale to be concluded on time without further delays.

“We all want a new Awujale. We are sincerely hoping and praying that the government will lift the embargo and allow the new Awujale to emerge on time. We have waited enough.”

Speaking on the borehole initiative, the project coordinator, Mrs Funmi Ayanwusi, said the intervention was designed to provide potable water to communities across Ijebu-Ode.

An 89-year-old retired civil servant and Chairman of the Ijebu-Ode Council of Olorituns, Alhaji Adebisi Alausa, described the borehole project as unprecedented in his lifetime.

The PUNCH recalls that the Funsengbuwa ruling house had dragged 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 Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba 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.