Facts emerged on Sunday on why the much-anticipated nomination meeting of candidates for the vacant Awujale stool and paramount ruler of Ijebu land was postponed by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

The PUNCH also learnt that the number of aspirants seeking to become the next Awujale is not fewer than 60.

Recall that the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, which is next in line to produce the Awujale following the death of the 91-year-old Oba Sikiru Adetona in July 2025, had announced last Thursday that the nomination meeting would be held on Monday.

The announcement was contained in a letter dated December 11, 2025, signed by the family’s spokesman, Abiodun Ogidan.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at Bisrod Hall, GRA, Ijebu-Ode.

The ruling house had outlined strict protocols for the exercise, stressing that only accredited family members would be allowed entry.

It also stated that each aspirant would be represented by two family members, with one nominating the candidate and the other seconding the nomination.

The ruling house further directed that aspirants themselves would not attend the meeting but would be represented by the two accredited family members.

Family members and accredited representatives were also urged to conduct themselves with utmost peace, respect and orderliness befitting the sacred process.

However, in a subsequent statement issued on Friday by the nomination committee, the ruling house announced the postponement of the meeting.

The statement, titled “To All Members of Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Ijebu-Ode,” read: “Due to circumstances beyond the family’s control, the Fusengbuwa Ruling House Awujale Nomination Meeting scheduled for Monday, 15th December 2025, has been postponed. The new date will be announced shortly. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Speaking exclusively with The PUNCH on Sunday, the Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Abdulateef Owoyemi, said the meeting was put on hold following an intervention by the state government to prevent procedural errors that could result in litigation.

Owoyemi explained that the postponement was to enable the ruling house to attend a meeting scheduled by the state government on Tuesday to review the process so far and ensure compliance with existing laws.

He dismissed insinuations that the decision was linked to the reported candidature of Fuji musician, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM1), whom the ruling house had previously said was not a member of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and therefore not eligible to contest.

Owoyemi said, “The postponement of the nomination meeting has nothing to do with any individual, far from that.

“What actually happened is that we received a summons from the state government for a meeting on Tuesday. The meeting is to ensure that everything is done correctly so that the selection process does not become a fertile ground for litigation or generate legal controversy.

“It is a process of comparing notes and ensuring that we cross our Ts and dot our Is. We appreciate this because it will help maintain standards and ensure that the process is flawless. There is nothing to worry about.”

Also speaking with The PUNCH on Sunday, the Vice Chairman of the ruling house, Prof Fassy Yusuf, confirmed that both the ruling house and the kingmakers had been invited to a meeting with the government on Tuesday, necessitating the postponement.

Prof Yusuf added that the number of princes aspiring to succeed the late Awujale was not fewer than 60.

The University of Lagos Professor of Mass Communication said, “There are certain things we have not done, so the government has scheduled a meeting with us for Tuesday. The government will meet with the ruling house, the kingmakers, and the Awujale Interregnum Committee.

“It is to ensure that everything is in order, and it is the outcome of this meeting that will determine when the nomination meeting will be held.

“The postponement has nothing to do with anyone. Anyone saying otherwise is being mischievous and spreading falsehood. So far, about 60 people are in the race to become the next Awujale.”

Efforts to find a successor to the highly revered Oba Adetona, who reigned for 65 years before his death in July, had recently intensified following a directive by the local government giving the ruling house 14 days to submit the names of candidates for the throne.

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Singer and songwriter, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido and Omah Lay’s collaboration, “With You”,  topped Spotify’s list of the most shared Nigerian songs in 2025.

Spotify, in its 2025 Wrapped data for Nigeria, said the track emerged as the most forwarded and reposted song across private and public digital spaces.

NAN reports on Monday that according to Spotify, this underscores how music functions as a powerful social connector among Nigerians.

“It also reflects a broader trend in which Nigerians use music as a personal handshake in song form, a way to say, “I’m thinking of you”, without typing a word.”

Rema’s “Fun” followed closely at number two, dominating Snapchat and Instagram, platforms where music sharing is tied to self-expression.

“Listeners suggest that sharing the song is less about private messaging and more about identity performance.”

Burna Boy’s “Love”, which ranked third, circulated widely across Snapchat, Instagram stories and Whatsapp.

The song became one many Nigerians chose to wear on their digital sleeves, moving fluidly across group chats and feeds.

Listeners said it created a shared emotional warmth.

Faith-based, such as Lawrence Oyor’s “Favour” placed fourth while “No Turning Back II” by Gaise Baba and Lawrence Oyor ranked fifth.

The gospel tracks, which highlight the role of spirituality in everyday Nigerian digital life, spread through Whatsapp groups, SMS messages and story feeds, for encouragement and spiritual reassurance.

Spotify’s 2025 Wrapped data showed  that social listening featured blend, friends mix, and collaborative playlists did not  just complement the music experience; they transformed it into a shared ritual.

Jam sessions increased by 145 per cent in Nigeria from 2024, as friends, lovers, crews, and even offices turned real-time listening into a new kind of bonding moment.

It became less about the song themselves, and more about the shared experience they created — a reminder that community is often built in the smallest moments.

“In 2025, every forwarded song, shared link or story post tells the same story.

“Music is a social glue, a mirror of mood, a bridge across private and public spaces, and a thread weaving individuals into community.”

Industry observers noted that the pattern of sharing revealed why certain songs travelled faster than others.

According to them, Nigerians share music to feel close, express identity, uplift one another and to belong.

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US rapper Cardi B has gone viral in Saudi Arabia, where the artist performed in the early hours of Sunday morning and unleashed a torrent of praise for the kingdom in a series of social media videos.

Saudi Arabia has been splashing out in recent years amid an ambitious economic reform drive that has included spending vast sums on celebrity appearances as it seeks to rebrand its image and attract non-oil investment.

“Everything is brand new, honey. This country looks like it was just opened up yesterday,” the artist said in a video posted on Instagram that has been widely shared online.

Cardi B was one of the headline performers at Riyadh’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm festival, where she welcomed the thousands in attendance with the traditional Muslim greeting “Salam alaikum” before later stating that “everything is mashallah” in the wealthy Gulf monarchy.

The Arabic word, meaning “God has willed it”, is a common term of praise in Muslim countries.

Known for her explicit language, the rapper adopted a more restrained tone during her set, avoiding her most graphic expressions.

She wore a flowing outfit that covered her from neck to toe, a departure from her usual, often revealing, stage attire.

In the run-up to the performance, the artist posted videos at Riyadh’s luxury malls and donned a hijab, while praising the shopping, ranting against paying American taxes and raving over the levels of opulence in the Saudi capital.

“The shopping is great, mashallah!” she added, while gushing over the fame she enjoyed in the kingdom.

“I’m somebody over here,” she said.

“I do recommend to come over here for vacation. There’s no alcohol, but some of y’all don’t need to be drinking and having S-E-X.”

Cardi B’s appearance in Saudi Arabia also comes just months after she was cleared of an assault charge in a $24 million civil trial in which the star was accused of slashing a woman’s face with her fingernails.

The rapper — whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar — was just the latest American to make waves in the Gulf region in recent days.

Last week, right-wing media personality Tucker Carlson announced he would be buying property in neighbouring Qatar as he rebuffed accusations he had taken money from the Gulf state.

Celebrities, athletes and social media influencers have increasingly been drawn to perform, compete and make appearances in the Gulf states in recent years, where they receive eye-watering sums but are also criticised for turning a blind eye to rights abuses.

Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion and Eminem are among the most high-profile names to have performed in Saudi Arabia recently.

Earlier this year, the Riyadh Comedy Festival sparked a controversy in the US, as comics who staunchly defended free speech back home were accused of hypocrisy for performing in Saudi Arabia.

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