The Fusengbuwa Ruling House has clarified that its decision to set the application fee for the Awujale of Ijebuland stool at ₦10 million was made to ensure fairness among eligible family members, and that all fees were refunded following intervention by the Ogun State Government.
Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, Olori Ebi of the ruling house, spoke on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, addressing controversies surrounding the stalled succession process following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona on July 13, 2025.
“We started with 12 candidates after the family unanimously resolved that a price tag should be placed on anyone who wants to contest for the position of Awujale, as is common in Yorubaland. The amount went through several deliberations—from ₦100 million down to ₦10 million—before it was finally approved,” Owoyemi explained.
He said the initial fee was intended to cover administrative and logistical costs, not personal gain.
“No king-making process is ever done on empty hands. The money was not supposed to be paid to anybody personally; it was meant to cover expenses incurred in organising the nomination process,” Owoyemi said.
Owoyemi added that following a directive from the Ogun State Government, the ruling house refunded all monies collected and opened the nomination process to all eligible family members without requiring payment.
“Within three days, we were able to refund all the money to those who had paid. We sent copies of the bank advice to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, the Secretary to the State Government, and the governor as evidence that we have complied with the directive,” he said.
He further addressed claims that the Awujale stool was being commercialised.
“The fees were strictly for administrative purposes, and nomination fees, where applicable, are usually paid into a family account and used collectively. The ruling house never intended to sell the throne,” Owoyemi stated.
Owoyemi also highlighted that reforms in the selection process now ensure broader participation of eligible family members, replacing the older system where elders alone selected the monarch.
Since the death of Oba Adetona, disputes over eligibility and procedure have increased the number of aspirants and prompted petitions and protests, leading the Ogun State Government to suspend the succession process in January 2026.
