By Akinwale Kasali
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Ijebu Ode has announced that not fewer than 95 people, consisting of 94 Princes and one Princess are jostling for the vacant stool of the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land in Ogun State.
The nomination meeting was presided over by the Chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi; his deputy, Prince Adedokun Ajidagba; and the Vice Chairman, Prof. Fassy Yusuf.
The Secretary to the Ijebu Ode Local Government, Abiodun Oke, and some other local government officials were present as observers.
Some of the contestants
include Giwa Abiodun Onanuga, husband of a former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga; Dr Kunle Hassan, a renowned ophthalmologist and founder of Eye Foundation Hospital and Otunba Fatai Arowolo of Aron Construction, among others.
The only female contestant is Oluwakemi Onanuga, a lawyer.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July last year following the demise of the 91-year-old Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years.
The contestants at the nomination meeting were represented by two of their relatives.
One of the relations moved the motion for the nomination, while the other seconded it, after which the family registered the nomination as accepted.
The family head of Fusengbuwa, Owoyemi, lauded family members for conducting themselves peacefully and ensuring that nothing untoward occurred that could jeopardise the nomination process.
Owoyemi said that, just as the Ifa oracle had foretold, the family was working across the board to ensure that whoever would assume the vacant Awujale stool would further take Ijebu land to greater heights.
The family head and former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria said, “We thank God that what we have feared so much has finally come and gone peacefully.
“We have successfully, peacefully and harmoniously nominated our candidates, 95 of them. It is now left in the hands of the kingmakers to do a very good job conscientiously and pick one of them as the next Awujale.
“The Fusengbuwa family has done a lot of traditional research through the Ifa oracle to guide us on what should be done, and we have no doubt that the kingmakers are going to select the person that the Almighty God himself has appointed. We believe that, by God’s grace, in the next one month, we should have the next Awujale.”
Owoyemi also said that the contestants had earlier signed an agreement to accept the outcome of the selection process and not pursue litigation, adding that the family expected each contestant to abide by the agreement.
He further said that the ruling house believe the government would do the right thing and “pick for the family the Awujale that has been foretold would make Ijebu land the biggest and greatest. We believe God will guide them aright.”
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