Fuji Icon KWAM 1 Declares Interest in Awujale of Ijebuland Throne

Renowned Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, popularly known as KWAM 1, has formally declared his intention to vie for the vacant stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland, one of the most revered traditional thrones in Yorubaland.

In a letter dated December 3, 2025, and addressed to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Agunsebi Quarters, the musician stated that his interest was grounded in his royal ancestry as a direct descendant of the Oba Jadiara lineage.

“Otunba Wasiu Ayinde Adewale Olasunkanmi Omogbolahan Anifowoshe, MON, hereby formally notifies the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of my intention to be considered for the vacant stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland, subject strictly to the provisions of Ijebu customary law and the Ogun State Chieftaincy Laws,” the letter read in part.

Born on March 3, 1957, KWAM 1 asserted that he is fully qualified under Ijebu custom as a bona fide member of the Fusengbuwa ruling house. He also highlighted his more than 50 years of cultural advocacy through music, which he said has helped project the heritage of the Ijebu people, the Yoruba race, and Nigeria at large.

The Fuji maestro referenced several honours he has received over the years, including his 2020 installation as the Mayegun of Yorubaland, his 2023 conferment as Olori Omo-Oba and Otunba Afidipotemole of Akile Ijebu by the late Awujale, and his 2022 national honour as a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON). These, he said, reinforce his suitability for the revered throne.

KWAM 1 also noted that, in line with tradition, the selection of the next Awujale should be completed “within a matter of weeks.”

Confirming the development, Abdul Lateef Adebayo Owoyemi, chairman of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, said he had received the musician’s letter of intent. In a statement issued on Friday, he urged family members at home and abroad to remain calm and trust the process.

“I have, within two hours of receiving the said letter addressed to me and six others by the Olori Omo-Oba Akile Ijebu, sent him an appropriate response, just as I quietly did to similar declarations of interest in the recent past,” Owoyemi said.

He expressed confidence that the sacred selection procedure would proceed smoothly, adding: “In Sha Allah, we shall all have cause to rejoice and thank the Almighty God, who alone makes anyone king, within a matter of weeks.”

The throne became vacant following the passing of the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, ending one of the longest and most influential reigns in Nigeria’s traditional history.