Police Invite Kingmakers Again as Awujale Selection Dispute Deepens

Police Invite Kingmakers Again as Awujale Selection Dispute Deepens

The Ogun State Police Command has summoned nine kingmakers in Ijebu Ode over fresh allegations of bribery and financial inducement linked to the selection of a new Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland.

The traditional leaders are expected to appear at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Monday and Tuesday next week as part of an ongoing probe.

A senior police source confirmed that the invitations were issued in connection with claims that money may have influenced the selection process.

“The nine kingmakers have been asked to report at the command headquarters on Monday and Tuesday. The invitation is still in connection with allegations of financial inducement,” the source said.

One of the affected kingmakers, Chief Abimbola Okenla, the Kakanfo of Ijebuland, acknowledged receiving the invitation. He said four of the kingmakers are scheduled to appear on Monday, while the remaining five will report on Tuesday.

Okenla, however, expressed concern over the repeated summons, describing the allegations as baseless and disruptive.

“None of us is happy with these frequent invitations by security agencies over unfounded allegations. The people of Ijebuland are equally not pleased because it is becoming a distraction,” he said.

He appealed to the state government, led by Dapo Abiodun, to allow the kingmakers carry out their responsibilities without interference.

“We urge the governor to allow us to carry out our duty and conclude the process of selecting the next Awujale without delay,” he added.

Also reacting, Alhaji Abdulateef Owoyemi, head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, said he was aware of the development but could not confirm details of the invitation. He stressed the need for due process and a smooth transition.

“What the people of Ijebuland desire is a new Awujale who will build on the enduring legacy of the late Sikiru Kayode Adetona,” he said.

A copy of one of the invitation letters, dated April 17, 2026, and signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of SCID, Gbenga Adeoye, described the exercise as a fact-finding engagement. It advised recipients to attend with legal representation if they wished.

The latest development adds to the controversies surrounding the selection process, which has faced multiple disruptions in recent months. The same group of kingmakers had earlier been invited by the police in February over similar allegations before the probe was reportedly halted.

The Ogun State Government had in January suspended the selection exercise following petitions from stakeholders and security concerns. A similar suspension was earlier announced in December 2025 over alleged irregularities.

The Awujale stool became vacant in July 2025 after the death of Oba Adetona at the age of 91, ending a remarkable 65-year reign. Prior to the suspension, no fewer than 95 aspirants from the Fusengbuwa Ruling House had emerged in the race for the revered throne.