Prince Olawale Oriola Adeyemi, Esq., the first great-great-great-grandson of Olufadekemi (Olufadi)—the first male Abidagba born during the reign of Awujale Fusengbuwa, the 41st Awujale—has reaffirmed the unquestionable legitimacy of his lineage in the ongoing succession discourse for the Awujale stool.
In a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Thursday, the U.S.-trained corporate lawyer emphasized that his claim is rooted in direct male-line descent, backed by historical records and the established chieftaincy laws guiding succession in Ijebu-Ode.
Prince Olawale expressed confidence that the Ogun State Government and all bodies charged with the sacred responsibility of determining the next Awujale will adhere strictly to due process and the rule of law.
He traced his lineage through his grandfather, the late Prince Fasasi Adebisi Adeyemi (Obanlefa), who served as the Olori-Ebi of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House from 1988 to 2013. He noted that Obanlefa’s 25-year leadership was never contested, reinforcing the long-recognized legitimacy of the family’s male line.
“I grew up in Ijebu-Ode under the care of my grandfather, the late Obanlefa. After graduating from Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, my academic journey took me to the United States, where I earned a Bachelor’s in Economics from the City University of New York, a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University, and an LLM in Securities and Financial Law from Georgetown University,” he said.
Reflecting on his childhood in Igbeba and his family’s deep ties to Ile Nla Compound in Agunsebi, Prince Olawale recalled the values his grandfather instilled—discipline, integrity, and devotion to the Awujale institution.
He added that these values inspired him to rebuild the Olufadi/Obanlefa House, transforming it into a new administrative center, library, and archive for the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
Prince Olawale cautioned against any attempt to sideline descendants of the Obanlefa line—whose authority, he stressed, had been publicly recognized by all ruling houses and even by past Awujales.
“Excluding the legitimate male descendants of Obanlefa would create an unhealthy precedent,” he warned. “It would prioritize revisionist narratives over verifiable heritage.”
He concluded with optimism that the Ogun State Government, the royal family, and all stakeholders involved in the installation of the next Awujale will uphold the law and present a duly qualified and historically legitimate candidate.
