AWUJALE SUCCESSION: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION AND AFFIRMING THE LEGITIMACY OF PRINCE ADEMORIN ALIU KUYE

The petition circulating under the guise of defending tradition, authored by what it calls “the concerned legal practitioners and stakeholders of Ijebu Ode”—a faceless and unnamed collective—is, in substance, a document built on speculation, innuendo, and calculated mischief. It is less a legal intervention and more a political alarm bell rung by interests unsettled by the strength, pedigree, and credibility of Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye.

The attempt by these self-styled “concerned” actors to drag the Awujale stool into needless controversy through unverified claims does grave injustice to Ijebu history, tradition, and collective intelligence.

Let it be stated plainly: Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye neither requires nor relies on intimidation, inducement, or political anointing to be relevant in the Awujale succession. His standing is rooted in lineage, service, acceptability, and a life visibly committed to the Ijebu people.

Allegations Without Proof Are Not Law

The petition leans heavily on phrases such as “it has been alleged” and “reports from within the community.” In both customary practice and formal law, allegations without evidence are empty. This is not how tradition is protected; it is how confusion is engineered.

Reckless Use of the Presidency’s Name

The insinuation that Prince Ademorin Kuye is parading a so-called “presidential anointing” is false, reckless, and disrespectful to the Presidency. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s long-standing respect for traditional institutions is on record. This narrative exists only in the imagination of those threatened by his credibility.

Insulting the Agemos and Kingmakers

The casual allegation of ₦250,000 inducements to Agemos is not just defamatory to Prince Kuye; it is an insult to the revered custodians of Ijebu tradition. It reduces respected traditional heads to purchasable objects, all without proof. Ironically, while claiming to defend tradition, the petition tramples on the dignity of those who embody it.

Public Support Is Not Coercion

Community expressions of support, dialogue, and peaceful advocacy do not amount to “coerced civil unrest.” Ijebu people are thoughtful, independent, and historically conscious. Disagreement with a faction’s preference does not equal intimidation. Labelling popular engagement as “state-sponsored pressure” is an attempt to silence voices that do not align with a predetermined narrative.

KNOW THESE FACTS ABOUT PRINCE ADEMORIN ALIU KUYE — AND KNOW PEACE

Beyond the noise and propaganda, facts remain stubborn and immovable:

1. Legitimate Nomination Anchored in Lineage and Encyclopedic Authority
   Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye’s nomination to ascend the stool of the Awujale emanated from a venerable elder of over 90 years, Alhaji Adesalu Mosuro—an authority of encyclopedic depth on the Fusengbuwa royal lineage and a living archive of Ijebu history, customs, and traditions. With nearly nine decades of lived knowledge and custodianship of ancestral memory, his testimony carries historic weight and cultural legitimacy. This nomination is neither conjectural nor politically contrived; it is rooted in ancestral continuity, validated by time-tested tradition.
2. Unmatched Record of Service
   Among all contenders, Prince Kuye’s breadth of service—public and private—is outstanding and verifiable. He has served the Ijebu people and Nigeria with distinction in roles including:

i. Secretary to the Local Government,

ii. Executive Chairman, Somolu Local Government, a council predominantly populated by Ijebu people,

iii. Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under the Babatunde Raji Fashola administration, where he was widely adjudged the most outstanding cabinet member,

iv. Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, attached to the Office of the Minister of Labour and Productivity,

v. Two-term Member, Federal House of Representatives, representing Somolu Federal Constituency—again, predominantly Ijebu—giving his people a strong voice at the national level.

3. Recognition by the Late Awujale Himself
   Based on the affection, trust, and respect the late Awujale, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, GCON, had for him, Prince Kuye was honoured with the title Otunba Ajana of Ijebuland. Titles of this nature are not bestowed lightly, nor by accident.
4. Longstanding Commitment to Ijebu Institutions
   Even before becoming Otunba Ajana, Prince Ademorin Kuye has been the Baba Egbe Obayori Okunrin (Asiwaju) Akile Ijebu for almost 10 years, demonstrating consistent loyalty, leadership, and grassroots engagement within Ijebu socio-cultural structures.

The Truth Beneath the Petition

This controversy is not about protecting tradition; it is about fear of a candidate whose credentials, lineage, and acceptability speak loudly without coercion. Unable to challenge the substance, some have resorted to alarmist petitions and speculative accusations.

Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye stands firmly in support of a transparent, lawful, and tradition-respecting process. Such a process does not weaken his chances—it strengthens them.

The Awujale stool is too sacred to be dragged through conjecture and desperation.

Let the Kingmakers perform their sacred duty.
Let truth prevail over propaganda.
Let Ijebu tradition speak—without fear, without noise, and without mischief.