The Jadiara Royal House, a member of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Ijebu-Ode, has rejected a publication by Ikokore Reporters which listed Bode Onanuga, Bimbo Onabanjo and Folu Aderibigbe as the three candidates for consultation for the vacant Awujale stool.
The position was contained in a press statement dated August 10, 2026, and signed by Otunba Prince Akinola Odedina DBA, FCA, Oloriebi, Jadiara Royal House.
The royal house described the report as misleading and baseless, stressing that Ikokore Reporters has no traditional, statutory or customary authority to determine candidates for the Awujale stool.
It specifically dismissed the claim of a three-candidate consensus, stating that no such consensus exists.
According to the royal house, the determination of qualified aspirants must be left to the appropriate traditional institutions, including the ruling house and kingmakers, as well as other relevant authorities acting in accordance with custom and law.
The statement emphasised the need for due process, insisting that every qualified aspirant should be assessed on the basis of established tradition and applicable law rather than media campaigns.
The Jadiara Royal House also rejected what it described as conspiracy claims intended to weaken the Awujale institution. It maintained that such allegations should be supported by evidence and not speculation.
It equally called for fairness in reporting the succession process, taking particular exception to the manner in which other aspirants, including Ademorin Kuye, were allegedly portrayed in the publication.
The royal house urged Ikokore Reporters to maintain a level playing field and avoid biased reporting, while appealing to journalists, bloggers and members of the public to rely on official communications and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of causing division.
On the role of the Ogun State Government, the royal house said the government should be allowed to perform its responsibilities transparently and without pressure.
It reaffirmed its commitment to peace and the dignity of the Awujale institution, stressing that the ultimate objective should be the lawful emergence of a new Awujale who enjoys the confidence of the people of Ijebuland.
The statement comes against the backdrop of heightened public interest in the process of selecting a successor to the late Awujale and growing debate among stakeholders over the procedure for the emergence of the next monarch.
