Awujale Disowns KWAM1, Names Candidates Monday
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House Denies Wasiu Ayinde's Claim to Membership
The ruling house of Fusengbuwa, one of the four royal families that rotate the position of Awujale in Ijebu land, has officially rejected claims by popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde that he is a member of the family. This denial comes after Ayinde submitted a lineage data form to assert his eligibility for the Awujale throne.
The family has set Monday, December 15, 2025, as the date for the nomination of all candidates in the race to become the next Awujale. Once the names are finalized, they will be sent to the kingmakers, who will select the next Awujale within seven days and forward the recommendation to the governor for final approval.
The Awujale stool rotates among the four ruling houses: Anikilaya, Gbelegbuwa, Fidipote, and Fusengbuwa. Following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona from the Anikilaya royal family on July 13, 2025, it is now the turn of the Fusengbuwa family to produce the next ruler.
The rejection of Ayinde’s claim was detailed in a letter dated December 11, 2025, which has since gone viral on social media. The letter, signed by the Chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi, along with other officials, stated that Ayinde’s lineage data form was invalid. The family pointed out that the form was certified by someone named Omooba Adetayo Abayomi Oduneye Eruobodo, who signed it two days before Ayinde himself completed it, calling the document “presigned.”
The family also noted that the form was not signed by an authorized representative of Ayinde’s purported family unit. They emphasized that Omooba Adetayo Abayomi Oduneye Eruobodo is not a registered member of the Jadiara Royal House and therefore had no authority to sign any linkage form on behalf of the family. The letter concluded that there was no evidence of Ayinde’s membership in either the Jadiara or Fusengbuwa ruling houses, and the form was declared null and void.
Rejection of Ayinde’s Eligibility
The spokesperson of the Fusengbuwa Nomination Committee, Omooba Abiodun Ogidan, reiterated that Ayinde is not a member of the family and, therefore, not qualified to contest for the Awujale throne. During a meeting of the family heads of Fusengbuwa, Ogidan addressed journalists and stated that Ayinde’s claims were unfounded.
“We have confirmed that from everything he wrote in the family lineage data form, he is definitely not one of us in the Fusengbuwa ruling house,” Ogidan said. He criticized Ayinde for attempting to rewrite history and questioned how someone who had never participated in family meetings or supported the family could suddenly claim a connection.
Ogidan added that the Awujale nomination forms were already closed when Ayinde began making his claims. He urged the public to recognize that those with false lineage would not be part of the process.
Family Members Deny Any Connection
The family of the late Adebanjo Tijani Oduneye of Ijebu Ode also denied any connection to Ayinde. Speaking on behalf of the Oduneye family at Ile Nla, Ijebu Ode, Alhaja Adesumbo Oduneye stated that the musician was never a member of their family and could not have come from the Jadiara royal house.
Alhaja Oduneye clarified that while Adetayo Oduneye Eruobodo, who signed the lineage form, was her half-brother, he was never the head of the family and had no authority to sign anything on behalf of the Oduneye family members. She emphasized that the family had no knowledge of Setejoye, the unit claimed by Ayinde, and that the signatory was spreading falsehoods.
She further explained that the family members, both in Nigeria and abroad, had sent her to publicly state that Ayinde is not part of the Oduneye or Jadiara royal family. She condemned the actions of Adetayo Oduneye, stating that such behavior would not be tolerated.
Background on Ayinde’s Claims
Ayinde’s data lineage form, submitted on Wednesday, was signed by Adetayo Oduneye Eruobodo, who claimed to be the head of the Setejoye Unit of the Jadiara ruling house. According to the form, Ayinde is a descendant of the Setejoye Unit through his father, Adisa Adesanya Anifowoshe. The form was countersigned by Omooba Adetayo Oduneye, who presented himself as the family head of the Setejoye Unit.
Despite these claims, Ayinde is widely known to have come from the Fidipote ruling house, through which he acquired the title of Olori Omooba of Ijebu land. In a recent musical performance, KWAM 1 asserted that Ayinde has roots in both Fidipote and Fusengbuwa ruling houses and is therefore eligible to contest for the Awujale stool.
The ongoing dispute highlights the complexities of royal lineage and the importance of verifying claims before proceeding with nominations. As the process moves forward, the focus remains on ensuring that only legitimate candidates are considered for the prestigious role of Awujale.
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