A member of the ruling houses, Prince Olawale Adeyemi, has again defended the legitimacy of the Olufadi–Obalenfa branch in the ongoing Awujale succession process, saying the lineage carries a direct and historically established claim to the revered throne of Ijebuland.
Adeyemi, who spoke in an interview yesterday, said the position of his family is grounded on clear male-line descent from Olufadekemi (Olufadi), the first male Abidagba of Awujale Fusengbuwa, the 41st Awujale of Ijebuland. He argued that both documented history and long-standing Ijebu traditions place the Olufadi–Obalenfa line in rightful contention.
He noted that the recognised succession pattern within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, as well as the structure acknowledged over generations in Ijebu-Ode, confirms that his branch cannot be pushed aside. Adeyemi expressed confidence that the Ogun State Government and other decision-making bodies will follow due process and protect established heritage as the selection unfolds.
The prince described the 25-year tenure of Obanlefa as Olori-Ebi of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House between 1988 and 2013 as widely accepted and unchallenged, both by the ruling houses and by the Awujale during that period. He stressed that the descendants of Obanlefa “remain the formally recognised male-line representatives of the Olufadi branch,” warning that attempts to marginalise the lineage amount to rewriting authentic Ijebu royal history.
Prince Adeyemi, also known as Prince Oriola in the family circles, cautioned that excluding the Obalenfa descendants from the process would set a dangerous precedent capable of weakening legitimate claims in future succession cycles. He insisted that the structure of the ruling house and longstanding acknowledgements of leadership leave no ambiguity over who holds the rightful mandate within the Olufadi line.
