Awujale Stool: KWAM1 Withdraws Court Case to Rework Legal Strategy, Lawyer Insists He Is Still in the Race
The legal team representing renowned Fuji musician, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1, has clarified that the recent withdrawal of a lawsuit challenging the selection process of the next Awujale of Ijebuland was a deliberate tactical decision rather than an abandonment of his ambition for the revered traditional stool.
Speaking on the matter, Dr. Wahab Shittu (SAN), lead counsel to the musician, explained that the notice of discontinuance filed before the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode was intended to allow the legal team reorganise and fine-tune its strategy. According to him, the withdrawal should not be misconstrued as KWAM1 stepping aside from the Awujale race.
Ayinde had, through a notice dated December 22, 2025, formally informed the court of his decision to discontinue the suit and requested that it be struck out. The move came shortly after the presiding judge, Justice A. A. Omoniyi, declined to grant an interim injunction sought by the musician to halt further steps in the Awujale selection process.
However, in a telephone interview with journalists on Wednesday, Dr. Shittu maintained that his client remains actively involved in the contest for the throne. He described the withdrawal as a “tactical retreat” designed to enable the legal team gather additional information and take necessary preliminary steps before re-engaging the process.
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According to the senior advocate, proceeding without adequately addressing these preliminary issues could weaken the case. He stressed that the legal team was determined to avoid failure by ensuring that all procedural and substantive requirements were properly addressed before returning to court.
Meanwhile, confirmation of the withdrawal also came from the Fusengbuwa ruling house. The Vice Chairman of the family and its legal representative, Prof. Fassy Yusuf, confirmed that KWAM1 had indeed filed a notice of discontinuance against the Ogun State Government, the Fusengbuwa ruling house, and other parties involved in the Awujale selection process.
Prof. Yusuf explained that the notice was filed on Monday, shortly after the court refused the ex parte application seeking to restrain Governor Dapo Abiodun, the ruling house, and relevant committees from continuing with the selection process. He noted that the application for discontinuance would be formally addressed by the court on January 14, 2026, which is the next adjourned date for the case.
The dispute centres on KWAM1’s claim to royal lineage within the Jadiara Royal House of the broader Fusengbuwa ruling house. The ruling house, however, has rejected this claim, insisting that the Fuji musician does not belong to the Fusengbuwa lineage. Instead, critics argue that he hails from the Fidipote ruling house of Ijebu-Ode, a position reinforced by references in his musical works.
In response to what he described as injustice and exclusion, Ayinde had instituted legal action against the Fusengbuwa ruling house, Governor Abiodun, the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Dare Alebiosu, and other officials connected to the Awujale Interregnum Administrative Council. He sought an interim injunction to suspend the selection and installation process pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The suit, marked HC3/238/2025, was filed under relevant provisions of the Ogun State High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2024 and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), invoking the court’s inherent jurisdiction.
In his ruling, Justice Omoniyi held that the application for interim injunction lacked merit, stating that no compelling grounds had been established to warrant such an order. He subsequently ordered an accelerated hearing of the substantive matter, fixing January 14, 2026, for further proceedings.
As the controversy unfolds, the Awujale selection process continues amid heightened public debate, with opinions sharply divided over tradition, lineage, and the role of the courts in chieftaincy affairs. Whether KWAM1’s recalibrated legal strategy will alter the course of events remains to be seen.