Awujale Stool: Ruling House Gives Reasons It Demanded N10m Nomination Fee from Aspirants
- The Fusengbuwa Ruling House had defended the N10 million application fee for the Awujale of Ijebuland stool, citing internal family consensus
- The ruling house had refunded all application fees within three days after the Ogun State Government directed that the process be opened without financial conditions
- The Olori Ebi, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, had rejected claims of commercialising the Awujale stool, saying the funds were meant for administrative purposes
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The Fusengbuwa Ruling House has defended its initial decision to fix the application fee for the Awujale of Ijebuland stool at N10 million, saying the amount was agreed through internal consultations and was not intended to exclude eligible family members.
The Olori Ebi of the ruling house, Otunba Lateef Owoyemi, gave the explanation on Friday, January 30, during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, amid ongoing debates over the suspended succession process.
Source: Twitter
Ruling house explains fee decision
According to a report by Punch, Owoyemi said the family reached the decision during a general meeting where members discussed how to manage the logistics of the nomination process. He described the practice of charging nomination fees as common within Yoruba traditional institutions.
He explained that several figures were proposed before the family settled on N10 million after lengthy deliberations. He said the amount was unanimously approved by members present and paid by 12 eligible candidates.
“In the first place, 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 it is common in Yorubaland.
“At the members’ general meeting, various suggestions were made. The amount was reduced from N100 million to N10 million only, and the members were also informed.
“It went from N10 million to N50 million, to N25 million, to N20 million, until it finally settled at N10 million, and it was unanimously approved. 12 members applied and paid N10 million each,” Owoyemi stated.
Source: Twitter
Refunds made after Ogun's intervention
Owoyemi said the ruling house refunded all payments after the Ogun state government intervened and directed that the process be opened to all qualified family members without any financial requirement.
“We had an invitation from the Ogun State Government to meet with the senior state officials.
“At that meeting, we were advised that what we had charged was not fair to everybody, and we should return all the N10 million each of the 12 candidates had paid and announce that any willing member of the family could apply and could collect the application form from us without paying a naira.
“Within three days, we were able to refund all the money to those who had paid, and we sent copies of the bank advice to the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, the Secretary to the State Government, and the governor himself in evidence that we have complied with the directive,” he said.
Commercialisation claims rejected
Responding to claims that the Awujale stool was being commercialised, Owoyemi dismissed the allegation and said the funds were meant for administrative expenses.
“No king-making process is ever done on empty hands.
“The money was not supposed to be paid to anybody. It was meant to cover expenses incurred in organising the nomination process,” he said.
Owoyemi added that reforms in the selection process had reduced the influence of inducements by allowing broader participation of eligible family members.
The succession process has remained uncertain since the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona on July 13, 2025. Disputes over eligibility and procedure later prompted the Ogun State Government to suspend the process in January 2026.
Ogun gov't suspends Awujale selection process
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Ogun state government had once again suspended the process for selecting a new Awujale of Ijebuland, halting ongoing moves by kingmakers to nominate a candidate for the revered traditional stool. The decision marks the second intervention by the state authorities since the succession process began.
The directive was communicated in a letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to the chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government.
Source: Legit.ng
