Amid reports of alleged disqualification of some of its members by the council of kingmakers in the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, the Council of Otunbas in Ijebuland has declared that no law prohibits holders of the Otunba title from ascending the Awujale stool.
The Otunbas made the clarification in a letter, jointly signed by the council’s chairman, second vice chairman and secretary, B. Alebiosu; Akin Osiyemi and Ayodele Osibogun respectively and addressed to the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council.
They stated that holders of the Otunba title have, at various times in history, ascended to obaship positions, stressing that the title has never constituted a barrier to kingship.
The council averred that the Awujale stool is a sacred traditional institution rather than a political office, warning that any selection process that excludes otherwise eligible candidates could result in legal challenges, communal disharmony, and irreparable damage to the integrity of the Ijebu traditional institution.
The Otunbas explained that the letter was written “in the interest of peace, legality, tradition, and historical accuracy concerning the ongoing process for selecting the next Awujale of Ijebu land.”
Citing the Chieftaincy Declarations registered in 1957 and approved in 1959, the council noted that succession to the Awujale stool is governed exclusively by these declarations.
It added, “The declarations contain no provision, express or implied, that disqualifies an otherwise eligible candidate merely because he previously held the title of Otunba.”
They added that any alleged customary rule not expressly incorporated into the registered declarations has no legal effect following their promulgation.
The statement comes amid ongoing discussions over eligibility for the next Awujale of Ijebuland, with some narratives introducing purported disqualifications that, according to the Otunbas, lack foundation in law or registered custom.
