The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebuland has berated Fuji legend, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM1, over a protest letter he sent to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, alleging that a plot was underway to edge him out of the contest for the vacant Awujale stool.
Ayinde, through his lawyer, Dr Wahab Shittu (SAN), in a letter dated January 8, claimed that directives issued by the ruling house violated the Ijebu Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State and were designed to disenfranchise him.
But reacting on Sunday, Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa family, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, dismissed the musician’s petition as “arrant nonsense,” insisting that the process was lawful and inclusive.
“It is a misguided letter. Either Wahab Shittu is being misled or Wasiu Ayinde is being misled,” Yusuf said in a phone interview.
“We have more than 20,000 members. How does he expect us to conduct an open screening without structure? What is being said is illogical.”
He confirmed that the family would meet on Monday to nominate aspirants for the throne.
Over 60 contenders have reportedly indicated interest in succeeding the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who joined his ancestors in July after a 65-year reign.
However, the Fusengbuwa family maintains that Ayinde is not a member of the ruling house and therefore lacks eligibility a position the musician disputes.
Ayinde had earlier approached the Ogun State High Court in Ijebu-Ode seeking an injunction to halt the selection process.
The court declined his request, describing it as lacking merit.
He later withdrew the suit without explanation.
Following the state government’s intervention, the ruling house cancelled its first nomination exercise and restarted the process.
In his latest petition, Ayinde queried a directive allegedly issued by the ruling house’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, asking aspirants to obtain nomination forms and face a screening committee chaired by Prince Mitiu Adenuga.
He also argued that the planned selection of delegates to handle nominations contradicts the approval earlier given by the Ijebu-Ode Local Government on January 6.
His lawyer wrote:
“It is a matter of deep concern to our client that illegal directives unknown to the law were included in correspondence to the Local Government.
The attempt to disenfranchise members willing to participate in the process is unacceptable.”
Shittu insisted that every member of the ruling house is legally entitled to attend and vote at the nomination meeting.
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“Certain individuals cannot hijack the process. Any move to exclude our client will be resisted,” he added.
Efforts to obtain the state government’s response were unsuccessful, as the governor’s media aide, Kayode Akinmade, had yet to comment as of press time.
