By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Ogun State Government and the Ijebu Ode Local Government have dismissed as false reports alleging the suspension of three prominent Ijebu traditional chiefs from the Ijebu Council of Chiefs.
The denial was contained in a joint statement issued on Friday, 23 January, 2026 by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, and the Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, in response to a report circulating on social media.
The report alleged that the Kakanfo of Ijebu land, Chief Abimbola Okenla; the Lapoekun of Ijebu land, Chief Tunde Odulaja; and the Madasa of Ijebu land, Chief Lekan Oshifeso, had been suspended from the Council of Chiefs.
However, the authorities said no such action had been taken or approved by any recognised traditional institution or by the state government.
According to the statement, the report was described as false and misleading, and attributed to mischief makers seeking to cause confusion and disharmony within Ijebu land.
The government stressed that chieftaincy matters are governed strictly by established laws, customs, and due process, none of which, it noted, had been initiated against the named chiefs.
“The Ogun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, in conjunction with the Ijebu Ode Local Government, has dismissed as false and misleading a report circulating on social media alleging the suspension of the Kakanfo of Ijebu land, Chief Abimbola Okenla, the Lapoekun of Ijebu land, Chief Tunde Odulaja, and the Madasa of Ijebu land, Chief Lekan Oshifeso, from the Council of Chiefs,” the statement read.
The government therefore urged members of the public to disregard the report and rely solely on official channels for verified information.
The clarification comes amid heightened public attention surrounding the ongoing process to select a new Awujale of Ijebuland following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
The monarch passed away on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, after a 65-year reign. Under the traditional rotational arrangement, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House is expected to present candidates for consideration by the kingmakers.
However, the succession process has been marked by delays, controversies, and repeated interventions by the state government.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Government had earlier constituted an administrative body to oversee traditional and administrative responsibilities pending the installation of a new Awujale. The decision was announced in a statement signed by Hamzat.
The administrative body is chaired by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu land, Chief Folorunso Kuku, with Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Oshifeso (Madasa) serving as secretary. Other members include several Ilamurens, Pampas, and traditional title holders, some of whom were mentioned in the false suspension report.
The succession process has also faced repeated disruptions. In December 2025, the state government halted an initial nomination exercise, citing procedural lapses.
Although a fresh nomination process commenced with a meeting held on Monday,12,January,2026 in Ijebu-Ode, it was again suspended on Tuesday,20 January 2026, following petitions.
On Friday, 23 January, 2026, members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House staged a protest, alleging attempts to impose a candidate for the revered stool.
Against this backdrop, the Ogun State Government and the Ijebu Ode Local Government called for calm, warning against the spread of unverified information capable of inflaming tensions and undermining peace in Ijebuland.
