AWUJALE STOOL: KUYE — THE DARK HORSE IN THE SUCCESSION RACE?
Igboro Lawa Spotlight Profiling on Upcoming Awujale Aspirants.....
-Traditional credentials, longstanding Ijebu-Ode relationships and public-service networks place aspirant under closer scrutiny
By #StreetVoice Investigative Desk
As the search for a successor to the late Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland continues, the succession debate is gradually moving beyond the names of aspirants to a deeper examination of what each candidate could potentially bring to the ancient Institution. Among those attracting attention is Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye, whose profile combines an asserted connection to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, longstanding relationships in Ijebu-Ode and public-service and political exposure extending beyond Ogun State.
Kuye's growing visibility has generated competing interpretations. To his supporters, he represents an aspirant whose traditional claim is reinforced by years of personal relationships within Ijebu-Ode and experience that could potentially be deployed for the development of Ijebuland.
To his critics, questions remain about his traditional credentials, the extent of his acceptance and the implications of his political relationships.
Between those positions lies a more fundamental Journalistic question: Does Kuye's combination of traditional credentials, longstanding Ijebu relationships and public networks make him a serious contender for the Awujale stool?
The answer, ultimately, belongs to the legitimate succession process. But the questions surrounding his candidature deserve examination.
THREE DIFFERENT TESTS
One of the dangers in the current debate is the tendency to mix three different questions together.
The first is traditional eligibility.
The second is acceptance and relationships within Ijebuland.
The third is the usefulness of a candidate's experience and wider networks to the future development of Ijebuland.
They are related, but they are not the same.
A candidate may satisfy one and still have questions surrounding another. Traditional eligibility cannot be established by political connections. Community relationships cannot, by themselves, substitute for genealogy.
And political networks cannot automatically determine suitability for a traditional throne. The strength of the succession debate will therefore depend on keeping these issues separate and subjecting every aspirant to the same standard.
THE FUSENGBUWA QUESTION
At the heart of the Kuye discussion is his asserted connection to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
Questions have reportedly been raised in some quarters about his genealogy and whether his connection to the ruling house satisfies the applicable traditional requirements.
There is also a competing narrative suggesting that Kuye's origins are associated with Odogbolu rather than being directly connected to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.
Kuye's supporters strongly reject that narrative. They regard such claims as politically motivated attempts to question his Ijebu identity and traditional credentials as his profile rises in the succession contest.
But neither the allegation nor the rebuttal should be presented as an established fact without evidence.
That is where responsible Journalism must draw the line. The question is not whether one camp is louder than another.
It is:
What do the recognised genealogical records, family histories, traditional authorities and applicable succession arrangements establish?
If documentary or traditional evidence exists, it should be examined. If competing evidence exists, it should equally be heard.
Until that process is properly undertaken, the Odogbolu narrative remains a disputed claim, just as the precise scope of Kuye's asserted Fusengbuwa credentials remains a matter requiring appropriate verification.
That standard should apply to every aspirant.
THE IJEBU-ODE STORY THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED
There is, however, another dimension to the Kuye story that deserves attention.
His supporters maintain that his relationship with Ijebu-Ode is not a product of the current Awujale succession contest. They point to his earlier life in Ijebu-Ode and particularly to his longstanding relationships within Ule Nla.
According to this account, Kuye has maintained relationships with people, families and associates in the area over many years, with some of his adherents standing by him long before the present succession debate.
This narrative is important because it challenges the portrayal of Kuye as simply an outsider whose Ijebu connection has suddenly become relevant because of his interest in the throne.
The question, therefore, is not merely whether Kuye has supporters today. The more useful question is whether there is credible evidence of longstanding relationships, community associations and personal connections dating back to his earlier years in Ijebu-Ode.
If elders, families, community leaders or longstanding associates can independently substantiate such a history, it would add a significant dimension to understanding his local profile.
But even that should not be confused with ruling-house eligibility. A longstanding relationship with Ijebu-Ode is evidence of social connection; it is not, by itself, proof of genealogical entitlement to the Awujale stool.
The two questions must remain distinct.
FROM POLITICAL NETWORKS TO DEVELOPMENTAL CAPITAL
Kuye's public-service and political exposure is another reason his name attracts attention.
His supporters argue that experience across governmental and political environments can provide useful knowledge of how government works and how communities can effectively engage public institutions.
His wider relationships, including those associated with Lagos and national political circles, could potentially provide channels for engagement with:
Federal ministries and agencies;
The National Assembly;
Development institutions;
Financial and investment organisations;
Private-sector interests;
Educational institutions;
National professional networks; and
Nigerians in the diaspora.
Such networks could potentially be useful in pursuing infrastructure, investment, tourism, education, agriculture, employment and youth-development initiatives.
But there is a significant distinction between having access and producing results. A person may know influential people without being able to convert those relationships into meaningful development.
Conversely, a person with fewer political connections may possess exceptional capacity for community mobilisation and development.
Therefore, the real test is not the number of influential names in an aspirant's contact book. It is what the aspirant can responsibly achieve with the relationships he possesses.
THE POLITICAL CONNECTION: ASSET OR LIABILITY?
Political exposure can be an asset to a modern traditional ruler.
It can also become a liability.
An Awujale who understands government may be better positioned to engage authorities on development matters. But a monarch perceived as belonging to a particular political camp could face questions about neutrality.
The Palace must be able to work with whoever occupies political office.
That means a politically experienced monarch must demonstrate the capacity to maintain relationships without becoming politically dependent. He must be able to speak to government without speaking for a political party.
He must be able to advocate for Ijebuland without turning the Palace into a political platform.
That is the real test of political experience.
WHY THE “DARK HORSE” DESCRIPTION?
The description of Kuye as a possible dark horse should also be carefully understood.
A dark horse is not necessarily the person with the largest political network. Nor is he necessarily the most publicly visible candidate.
In a competitive field, a dark horse can emerge when a candidate possesses a combination of attributes that become increasingly relevant as the process moves toward consensus.
That could include:
Traditional credibility.
Community relationships.
Administrative experience.
Broad acceptance.
Ability to communicate across different interests.
Political and professional networks.
Capacity to engage government without surrendering institutional independence.
If a succession process becomes difficult to resolve because several aspirants possess strong credentials, the ability to bridge competing interests could become increasingly important.
It is in that context—not as a prediction—that the Kuye “dark horse” narrative deserves consideration.
EVERY ASPIRANT BRINGS SOMETHING DIFFERENT
The Kuye discussion should not obscure the credentials of other aspirants.
Every candidate has a story.
One may have a stronger traditional pedigree. Another may possess greater professional accomplishment. Another may have deeper grassroots acceptance. Another may bring business experience. Others may have stronger intellectual or academic credentials. Another may possess significant public-service experience.
The question is not which antecedent is most impressive in isolation. The question is which combination of qualities best corresponds with the responsibilities of the Awujale institution at this particular point in Ijebu history.
WHAT SHOULD IJEBU EXPECT FROM THE NEXT AWUJALE?
The next Awujale will inherit an INSTITUTION whose significance extends far beyond the Palace.
He will be expected to protect Ijebu culture and tradition. He will need to maintain the dignity of the throne. He will have to engage the government and the private sector. He will need to relate with political leaders without becoming partisan. He will need to engage young people. He will need to support economic development. He will need to represent Ijebuland nationally and internationally.
Above all, he will need to unite a people whose opinions may become divided during the succession process.
That is why the search should not simply be about who can win the contest. It should be about who can successfully carry the institution after the contest is over.
THE KUYE QUESTION IN PERSPECTIVE
Kuye's candidature can therefore be viewed through three separate lenses.
1. Traditional Eligibility
His asserted Fusengbuwa connection must be established through credible traditional and genealogical evidence.
Claims associating him primarily with Odogbolu should likewise be treated as disputed claims requiring evidence, not as settled facts.
2. Ijebu Acceptance
His longstanding relationships in Ijebu-Ode, including the Ule Nla dimension highlighted by his supporters, deserve recognition and, where possible, independent verification.
They provide relevant context to the question of his relationship with the community.
3. Developmental Capacity
His public-service experience, political exposure and wider national networks could potentially become useful assets if he is able to deploy them for Ijebuland while preserving the independence of the throne.
These three tests should not be confused.
Together, however, they provide a more complete picture of the aspirant.
IGBORO LAWA'S BALANCED VIEW
Kuye should neither be presented as a predetermined winner nor dismissed as an outsider.
His traditional credentials require proper scrutiny.
His longstanding Ijebu-Ode relationships deserve examination.
His political and public-service antecedents are relevant to assessing what he could potentially bring to the institution.
His supporters are entitled to defend his record and reject narratives they consider unfair.
His critics are equally entitled to ask questions and demand evidence.
What matters is that both sides operate within the boundaries of responsible public discourse.
The succession should not become a battle of propaganda. It should not become a contest of political connections.
It should not become a referendum on wealth or publicity. And it should certainly not become a process in which allegations are treated as facts simply because they are repeated often enough.
The ultimate questions are much bigger:
Who is legitimately qualified?
Who possesses the character required of the throne?
Who commands genuine respect and acceptance?
Who understands Ijebu tradition?
Who can preserve the independence and dignity of the institution?
Who can engage government without becoming politically captured?
Who can transform relationships and experience into development?
And who can unite Ijebuland after the succession contest?
Those are the questions that should define the race.
Kuye may eventually emerge as the choice.
Another aspirant may emerge. The legitimate traditional process will determine the outcome.
For now, the responsible conclusion is simply that Prince Ademorin Aliu Kuye remains a serious name in a competitive field whose ultimate outcome cannot responsibly be predicted merely from political connections, traditional claims or current public visibility.
And perhaps that is the most important point.
The Awujale stool does not need merely the man with the strongest network.
It needs the man whose pedigree, character, acceptance, experience, wisdom and relationships can ultimately be placed at the service of the Throne and the unity of Ijebuland.
— IGBORO LAWA INVESTIGATIVE DESK
Rejoinders, corrections and evidence-based contributions are welcome. Responsible responses enrich public discussion of an Institution that belongs to the entire Ijebu nation.
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