The Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode has rejected an interim injunction sought by Otunba Wasiu Olasunkanmi Ayinde Marshall, an aspirant to the Awujale of Ijebu land stool.
The ruling was delivered on Monday by the presiding judge of High Court 3, Ijebu-Ode Judicial Division, Hon. Justice A. A. Omoniyi, who held that the application lacked merit.
Marshall had approached the court to restrain the Ogun State Government and other respondents from taking further steps in the process of selecting the next Awujale pending the determination of his suit.
In his suit, he claimed that the succession process breached the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law and violated his constitutional right to fair hearing.
The court, while dismissing the request for interim relief, ordered that the substantive matter be heard on an accelerated timeline and fixed January 14, 2026, for proceedings.
This means that the selection process for the next Awujale can continue while the legal challenge is being prepared for full hearing.
The Awujale throne became vacant following the death of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in July 2025, ending a reign of over six decades.
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Under traditional customs, the next Awujale is to be selected from one of the four ruling houses in Ijebu-Ode, with the Fusengbuwa Ruling House positioned to produce the next occupant of the stool.
Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1, had earlier submitted his interest in the throne, citing eligibility through royal lineage.
Members of the ruling houses challenged his application, requesting documentation to verify his genealogical ties.
Reports indicate that the Fusengbuwa Ruling House found that his submission did not meet the required certification standards.
Prior to the court case, the Ogun State Government had intervened to halt an earlier nomination meeting scheduled for December 15, citing procedural irregularities.
The government later instructed that the selection process be restarted to ensure compliance with customary and statutory laws.
The court’s decision ensures that while the succession process continues, the main lawsuit filed by Marshall will be resolved on January 14, when the court will examine the validity of his claims in full.
Crediblenewsng.com
