<\/p>\n\n\n\n
~Press Statement by the Ijebu Ode Coalition for Due Process (ICDP)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The battle for the Awujale stool has taken a dramatic turn, with the Ijebu Ode Coalition for Due Process (ICDP) accusing some interests of \u201ctwisting clear laws to suit hidden agendas.\u201d In a hard-hitting statement, the group declared that the rulebook is already written and cannot be rewritten midstream.
\u201cThe only lawful instrument for selecting an Awujale is the declaration in force,\u201d the ICDP said. \u201cAnything outside it is noise.\u201d
According to the group, that rulebook is the 1957 Declaration made under Section 4(2) of the Chiefs Law, which governs the customary law for selecting the Awujale of Ijebuland. \u201cIt is the alpha and omega of the process,\u201d the ICDP insisted.
The declaration, the coalition stressed, leaves nothing to chance. It names the ruling houses, fixes the order of rotation, spells out who can contest, lists the 13 kingmakers, and lays down how family heads must submit names. \u201cIt is a complete manual,\u201d the ICDP said, \u201cnot a suggestion.\u201d
At the centre of the storm is Section 3 of the declaration, which defines eligibility. \u201cCandidates must be members of the ruling house and of the male line,\u201d the group said. \u201cFemale-line succession is only a last resort, and only when there is no eligible male. Without this rule, anyone could wake up tomorrow and demand the crown.\u201d
Those arguing that the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law of 2021 changed the rules were sharply rebuked. \u201cThat claim is false,\u201d the ICDP fired back. \u201cThe 2021 law did not cancel the declaration. It strengthened it.\u201d
Quoting Section 10 of the 2021 law, the coalition noted that any registered declaration is deemed the customary law regulating selection, to the exclusion of any other usage or rule. \u201cThat phrase means total lockdown,\u201d the ICDP said. \u201cNo additions. No subtractions. No substitutions.\u201d
The group also pointed to Section 11(4), which forbids any amendment to a declaration during a vacancy unless all ruling houses agree. \u201cYou cannot change the rules while the seat is empty,\u201d the ICDP warned. \u201cThat is like moving the goalpost during a penalty kick.\u201d
On Section 15 of the 2021 law, often cited to justify broader eligibility, the ICDP said critics were being dishonest. \u201cYes, it says \u2018the person must be a descendant,\u2019\u201d the group noted. \u201cBut the declaration already defines who that person is. Male line first. End of story.\u201d
In blunt terms, the coalition said the law leaves no room for clever interpretation. \u201cThe 2021 law guides how the declaration is used,\u201d it said. \u201cIt does not erase it, dilute it, or rewrite it.\u201d
The message to stakeholders was unmistakable. \u201cFamily heads should print the declaration, read it, and sleep with it,\u201d the ICDP said. \u201cThe 13 kingmakers must do the same. This is the law of the land.\u201d
The group ended with a warning shot. \u201cAnyone claiming the 1957 declaration has been overtaken by events is pushing mischief,\u201d the ICDP said. \u201cUntil a new declaration is lawfully made, the 1957 rules stand firm. The 2021 law backs them. Period.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
~Press Statement by the Ijebu Ode Coalition for Due Process (ICDP) The battle for the Awujale stool has taken a dramatic turn, with the Ijebu Ode Coalition for Due Process (ICDP) accusing some interests of “twisting clear laws to suit hidden agendas.” In a hard-hitting statement, the group declared that the rulebook is already written […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":25224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-big-story","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/images-26.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25225,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25223\/revisions\/25225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youdonhear.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}