– By Olawunmi Samuel Omo’ba Anikinaiya
Correcting the self-serving misinterpretation of the Ruling House system as outlined in the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy Declaration, specifically section (3b).
The Intelligence Report on Ijebu Ode, 1943, provides crucial context, defining the Fusengbuwa Ruling House as the lineage of Awujale Fusengbuwa (1790-1819). This contradicts a very recent claim by the Adenuga Folagbade family, a sub-unit under the Adesimbo Tunwase lineage of the eight lineages within Fusengbuwa Ruling House, that their ancestor, Awujale Adenuga Folagbade being the last king from Fusengbuwa Ruling House, his descendants are implied in section (3b) of the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy Declaration.
They further justified their claim on the pretext that it is the descendants of the last Awujale from a Ruling House that are eligible to produce an Awujale, yours truly states that the suggestion lacks logical, legal, traditional and historical basis.
For instance, notwithstanding that Awujale Fidipote’s son Oba Adeona Fusigboye was Awujale from from 1906 – 1915. When it became the turn of Fidipote again in 1929, Alli Ogunnaike Fibiwoga, another son of Fidipote was chosen, not Adeona’s son.
Similarly, Awujale Adeleke Oluboyejo Ogbagba who died in 1905 was a direct son of Awujale Anikinaiya (1821 – 1854). When it became the turn of Anikinaiya in 1916, no son of Adeleke Ogbagba was picked but Awujale Ademolu Fesogbade, another direct son of Awujale Anikinaiya, he ruled till 1925.
On the issue of primogeniture, it was all Abidaagba Omobas who are alive at the turn of their father’s house that are eligible for the Awujale throne. Adesimbo Tunwase was only privileged to be the only Abidaagba alive when he was fetched from his base at Ijebu Igbo and was made the Awujale.
With the adoption of Ruling House system by the colonial authorities, the primogeniture tradition of Ijebuland became formalized and defined with the last Awujale from each of the Awujale Royal lines, with verifiable direct descendants, formed into Ruling Houses. The Colonial authorities and the Ijebu Royal House discovered that going beyond the era of Gbelegbuwa 1760 1790 posed a challenge of accuracy and had throughout the generations stuck with the arrangement.
Where and whenever people approached the successive Awujales with claims of connection to a distant past Awujale, the Awujale in his prerogative appointed them as Obas of their domains outside Ijebu Ode or as Otunbas in the name of their alleged ancestor but none of them ever qualify as being members of any Ruling House of the Awujale. Though they are considered as relations and members of the Royal dynasty not Ruling House.
To buttress the import of the Ruling House system, Oduwole Obanlefa, a grandson of Awujale Fusengbuwa who did not descend from Adesimbo Tunwase was the candidate of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House for the Awujale throne in 1929. Had the Fidipote Ruling House not kicked that the Otutubiosun/Ajuwakale saga where two Omobas from a single dynasty ruled successively would not be permitted, he would have been installed as the Awujale.
Had the postulation that it is AWUJALE ADENUGA descendants that could rule as Awujale under Fusengbuwa being accurate, the Ruling House would have being named after him as Adenuga Ruling House and not Fusengbuwa Ruling House. Assuming without conceding that only Adenugas are eligible under Fusengbuwa Ruling House, then where will Adenuga’s biological siblings be placed?
Furthermore, such a postulation imply that if the Awujale comes back to the Anikinaiya Ruling House in the future, it is the children of late Awujale Sikiru Olukayode Adetona that should be picked, or those of Awujale Daniel Adesanya when it is the turn of Gbelegbuwa. Common sense should know the impracticality of such a suggestion.
While I do not take offense with some of Awujale Adenuga Folagbade’s descendants ambition to sideline their older Abidaagba relations, as ambition is a hidden bias of every man. However, every man must know when to subdue selfish interests for his own sanity, common good of his family, people and community. It is good to get proper clarification of the definition of a Ruling House.
Conclusion
The suggestion of the last Awujale’s children from a Ruling House being the only candidates eligible for succession is self-serving and has no precedence either in Ijebuland or elsewhere where Ruling House system is practiced.
