Prominent Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde, has sent a serious letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, claiming he has been sidelined from the ongoing selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebu land.
Ayinde asserted that the Fusengbuwa ruling house, which is next in line to produce the Awujale, has been issuing directives that violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State.
He alleged these actions are designed to disenfranchise him from competing for the throne.
These allegations were outlined in a letter dated January 8, 2026, sent to Governor Abiodun by Ayinde’s lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN.
The search for the new Awujale reportedly has drawn over 60 contestants, with Ayinde—popularly known as KWAM1—also declaring his candidacy.
The Fusengbuwa family, responsible for producing the next Awujale, has previously asserted that Ayinde is not a member of their family and, consequently, ineligible to partake in the selection process.
Ayinde previously approached the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to prevent Abiodun and six others from continuing with the selection.
The court dismissed the request, ruling that the application lacked merit.
The musician subsequently withdrew the suit, without providing a substantive reason.
In his recent letter to Abiodun, Ayinde stated that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, through a letter dated January 6, 2026, from Secretary Oke Adebanjo, granted approval for the ruling house to initiate the selection process.
He expressed surprise that while family members were preparing for the meeting, one Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, the family’s Public Relations Officer, issued a notice instructing candidates to collect nomination cards and appear before a screening committee led by Prince Alhaji Mutiu Adenuga.
Ayinde noted that this directive scheduled the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, but also indicated that the process would be executed by delegates chosen at a meeting on January 10, 2026.
The letter stated, “It is a matter of deep concern to our client that all these directives, which contravene the Chieftaincy Declaration, Obas and Chiefs Law, and the letter from the Secretary of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, were included in the family’s letter dated January 6, 2026.
“It is clear that there are plans by the leadership of the ruling house to disenfranchise members desirous of participating in the nomination of candidates for the Awujale stool.
“We wish to emphasize that all members of the ruling house are entitled to attend the meeting to nominate candidates of their choice.
“A group of people in the ruling house cannot usurp these rights. The directive providing for screening and nomination by delegates is inconsistent with both the spirit and letter of the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021.
“In the interest of justice and compliance with due process, we urge timely intervention to address these concerns, ensuring the integrity of the process and protecting our client’s rights.”
The Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed receipt of the letter but dismissed it as “arrant nonsense” with no relevance to the selection process.
Speaking on Sunday, Yusuf remarked, “It is a misguided letter. Either Wahab Shittu is being misled, or Wasiu Ayinde is being misled. The letter was directed to the government, which will respond appropriately.
“The issue being raised about screening is illogical. We have over 20,000 members in the ruling house—how does he expect us to manage the crowd?”
The family has scheduled the nomination meeting for Monday, January 12, 2026, for those contesting the vacant stool.
The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 following the death of 91-year-old Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years.
Attempts to obtain a response from the Ogun State Government were unsuccessful, as Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to Governor Abiodun, had not responded to inquiries at the time of publication.
