The Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, has said the family was forced to approach the Ogun State High Court over the prolonged delay in selecting the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

Owoyemi spoke after Wednesday’s proceedings in a suit filed by the ruling house against Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Awujale kingmakers and other stakeholders over the suspension of the succession process.

The case, numbered HCJ/149/2026 and filed on August 21, 2026, was before Justice A. A. Omoniyi, who returned the case file to the administrative judge for reassignment because he is due to proceed on annual vacation.

Justice Omoniyi acknowledged the urgency of the matter but said the limited time available before his vacation made it difficult to commence proceedings.

The case was consequently adjourned to September 23, 2026.

Reacting, Owoyemi said the ruling house had waited for seven months despite completing its statutory responsibility within the stipulated period.

He said the family had 14 days under the law to conduct its internal selection but completed the exercise within 10 days before submitting the necessary documents to the kingmakers, who, he said, had seven days to complete their own stage.

“We waited for seven months. We had only 14 days by the law to do what we have done. And we did it within 10 days,” Owoyemi said, adding that the family had been unable to obtain satisfactory explanations for the stoppage.

He said petitions and security reports were cited as reasons for halting the process, but claimed that the ruling house had neither seen the petitions nor been given copies of the security reports.

“We can't wait forever! And we have to approach the court for intervention,” he said.

Counsel to the ruling house, Otunba Olusegun Otayemi, said the case was filed because the selection process had already commenced before it was stopped, arguing that the law did not permit a deliberate suspension.

He said legitimate circumstances could cause delays but maintained that the succession process should not be deliberately halted, stressing that “Ijebu Ode cannot remain kingless for so long.”

However, counsel to the 7th to 15th defendants, including the kingmakers, Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaiye, SAN, said his clients wanted the Afobajes to be allowed to perform their statutory responsibilities while the government carried out its own duties.

Kalejaiye said the appointment of recognised chiefs was governed by the Chiefs Law and subject to specific timelines, including seven, 14 and 21-day periods.

The ruling house is asking the court to determine whether the Ogun State Government had the legal authority to halt the Awujale selection process and allegedly prevent the kingmakers from completing their statutory duties.

The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona at 91, after 65 years on the throne.

The government halted the succession process in January 2026, citing petitions from security agencies and stakeholders.

A total of 95 aspirants—94 princes and one princess—had emerged from the Fusengbuwa Ruling House nomination exercise before the process was suspended.