Awujale Succession: Prince Oriola Reaffirms Legitimacy of Olufadi–Obalenfa Lineage

Awujale Succession: Prince Oriola Reaffirms Legitimacy of Olufadi–Obalenfa Lineage

...Says history, law, and unbroken male-line descent place his family in rightful position for the revered Awujale stool.

Prince Olawale Oriola Adeyemi, Esq., a direct sixth-generation descendant of Prince Olufadekemi (Olufadi)—the first male Abidagba born during the reign of Awujale Fusengbuwa, the 41st Awujale—has restated the firm and legitimate claim of the Olufadi–Obalenfa male line to the Awujale stool.

Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday, the corporate lawyer emphasized that his lineage’s claim is rooted in unbroken direct male descent, supported by historical documentation, oral records, and established chieftaincy laws guiding succession in Ijebu-Ode.

Prince Oriola expressed confidence that the Ogun State Government and all stakeholders involved in the sacred task of selecting the next Awujale would uphold due process, the rule of law, and the longstanding customs that shape Ijebu royalty.

Raised in Ijebu-Ode under the mentorship of his grandfather, the late Prince Fasasi Adebisi Adeyemi (Obanlefa)—the respected Olori-Ebi of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House from 1988 to 2013—Oriola highlighted the significance of Obanlefa’s 25-year, uncontested leadership, which remains part of Ijebu public history. He noted that the Obanlefa line continues to represent the formally acknowledged, legitimate male branch of the Fusengbuwa ruling house.

“I was raised in Ijebu-Ode by my grandfather, the late Obanlefa. After attending the prestigious Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, I pursued my studies in the United States, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, a Juris Doctorate, and an LLM in Securities and Financial Law,” he said.

I was raised in Ijebu-Ode by my grandfather, the late Obanlefa. After attending the prestigious Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, I pursued my studies in the United States, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, a Juris Doctorate, and an LLM in Securities and Financial Law,

Reflecting on his childhood in Igbeba and deep family ties to the historic Ile Nla Compound in Agunsebi, Prince Oriola spoke passionately about the values instilled in him—discipline, service, and unwavering devotion to the Awujale institution.

According to him, these values motivated his investment in the reconstruction of the Olufadi/Obanlefa House at Ile Nla, which is being transformed into a modern administrative center, library, and archival hub for the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

Prince Oriola cautioned that any attempt to sideline the Obanlefa descendants—whose leadership was recognized across all ruling houses and affirmed by the Awujale himself—would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging revisionist narratives over documented lineage and legitimate heritage.

He concluded by expressing strong faith that both tradition and law would guide the royal family, kingmakers, and government authorities in presenting a legally qualified and historically rightful candidate for the revered Awujale stool.

Story From; Oluseun Joshua