September 07, 2025
By Ademola Adekusibe
The Funsegbunwa Ruling House of Ijebuland has vowed that wealthy contenders will not be allowed to compromise the process of selecting the next Awujale of Ijebuland.
The family head, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, stated this on Saturday while addressing journalists at his country home in Idowa, Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Owoyemi revealed that no fewer than eight potential candidates had offered money in a bid to influence the succession process but were rejected by the ruling house elders.
“So far, eight potential candidates to the Awujale throne have approached us with money, but we turned them down. What matters to us is a transparent and fair selection process where only the best from our ruling house are presented to the kingmakers,” he said.
Owoyemi, a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), recalled that the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, had warned that the succession must never be hijacked by moneybags.
“During the 2019 Ojude Oba festival, when it was said that some people had budgeted ₦1 billion to secure the throne, Oba Adetona cautioned that his succession must not be dictated by money. He insisted that the right candidate, one capable of elevating Ijebu, must emerge as his successor. That remains our guiding spirit,” he noted.
Owoyemi also addressed claims by Prince Adedokun Ajidagba, who described himself as the authentic head of the ruling house. He dismissed the claim, pointing to a 2024 Court of Appeal judgment in Ibadan which affirmed his position as Olori Ebi, a role he has held since 2013.
He, however, extended an olive branch to aggrieved members of the family, urging unity in the collective effort to produce the best Awujale in Ijebu history.
“We have always preached peace and unity. We are even ready to make concessions as long as they are not unreasonable, because we are one family. We must come together to ensure that the next Awujale is worthy of our heritage,” he said.
