Royal Storm in Ijebuland: Wasiu Ayinde Marshal’s Candidacy Emerges Amid Fusengbuwa Ruling House Crisis
The race for the Awujale stool of Ijebuland has taken a dramatic turn, as Fuji music icon, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, is being widely tipped as a top contender.
His possible emergence, however, comes at a time of deep division within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, the lineage next in line to produce the monarch.
On Thursday, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House released a strongly worded statement affirming High Chief Adedokun Ajidagba, the Otunba Monigbuwa of Ijebuland, as its only legitimate head. The family insisted that Ajidagba remains the sole Olori-Ebi (family head), dismissing other parallel claims.
The current tussle dates back to 2013 following the death of Prince Adebisi Adeyemi Obanlefa, who had served as the family head.
His passing triggered a succession battle between the late banking mogul, Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun, and Alhaji Lateef Owoyemi, a chartered accountant and politician.
A judgment by the Ijebu Ode High Court later invalidated Owoyemi’s claim, ruling that he was not a member of the Fusengbuwa royal family. The ruling leaned on testimony by the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who declared that Owoyemi’s ancestry traced back to Ikoro Ekiti, outside Ijebuland.
Following the ruling, Ajidagba was unanimously recognised as the Olori-Ebi, a position acknowledged by the late Awujale and accepted by other ruling houses.
Despite the settled position, two figures — Dr. Adekunle Hassan, founder of Eye Foundation Hospitals, and Owoyemi — have resurfaced, each laying claim to the Fusengbuwa leadership. Their claims are tied to what they described as the Arojojoye Ruling House — a body which, according to Ijebu tradition, has no historical recognition.
Owoyemi’s camp has reportedly leaned on a Court of Appeal judgment to bolster his claim. However, royal historians and legal experts argue that the judgment does not confer any authority on him, stressing that Ijebu custom forbids non-Ijebu Ode indigenes, such as Owoyemi from Idowa, from leading a ruling house.
The Awujale stool remains vacant, and tradition places the responsibility of succession squarely on the Fusengbuwa family. With the family divided, the process risks being delayed indefinitely, fuelling concerns among stakeholders in Ijebuland.
Meanwhile, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal’s candidacy has continued to attract attention. Supporters believe his popularity, cultural influence, and deep ties to Ijebu tradition position him as a formidable contender. Others caution, however, that the ongoing legal and family disputes could complicate the selection process.
Elders across Ijebuland have called for restraint and unity among the ruling houses — Anikinaiya, Fusengbuwa, Fidipote, and Gbelebuwa — to prevent the kingdom’s revered stool from being enmeshed in prolonged disputes.
For now, the people of Ijebuland await clarity. The throne remains empty, and while the drums of coronation are silent, anticipation grows as the kingdom edges closer to a historic decision.
