Ijebu Youth Group Urges Ogun Government to Safeguard Awujale Succession Process
A socio-cultural advocacy group, Young Shall Grow of Ijebu-Ode, has called on the Ogun State Government to step in and ensure transparency and fairness in the ongoing process to select a successor to the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
The revered monarch passed away last year and was laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites, as instructed. However, the group says recent developments surrounding the succession have raised serious concerns among indigenes of Ijebu-Ode.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing on Saturday, January 24, 2026, the group expressed growing unease over what it described as declining public confidence in the kingmakers traditionally entrusted with the sacred duty of selecting the next Awujale.
The group, which has also been active in advocating for the creation of Ijebu State, said unfolding events have cast doubt on the impartiality of the process and the ability of the kingmakers to act solely in the interest of the people.
According to the group’s chairman, many concerned indigenes are deeply disappointed. He said the kingmakers are respected elders whose integrity was never in doubt, adding that they were widely believed to be above inducement due to their status and comfort. However, he noted that recent allegations have challenged that long-held belief.
Young Shall Grow alleged that the kingmakers have been linked to claims of receiving luxury vehicles and significant financial inducements from a prince allegedly backed by a prominent Lagos-based political figure. The group further claimed that preliminary findings suggest the funds being deployed are driven largely by political interests rather than a genuine commitment to the welfare and traditions of Ijebu-Ode.
The group therefore appealed directly to the Governor of Ogun State to intervene at what it described as a defining moment in the history of the ancient town.
It warned against imposing a candidate who, according to the group, lacks strong ties to the community, noting that such an individual was absent from past cultural and developmental struggles, including support for initiatives like the annual Ojude Oba festival, and only surfaced after the demise of the late monarch.
Despite its concerns, the group reaffirmed its confidence in the leadership of the Ogun State Governor and pledged to support any candidate eventually endorsed by the government, provided the individual is credible, well-educated, culturally grounded, properly connected to the people, and thoroughly vetted in the interest of peace and unity.
The group also emphasized that government involvement in traditional ruler selection has historically helped to ensure stability and progress, stressing the importance of cooperation between traditional institutions and the state.
They concluded by urging the governor to act decisively and without delay to proclaim the next Awujale, resolve lingering disputes, and guide the process to a peaceful conclusion for the overall progress and unity of Ijebu-Ode.
