The Department of State Services (DSS) has directed all nominees for the vacant Awujale stool of Ijebuland to appear before its office in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, in a move that has unsettled the traditional succession process and led to the cancellation of a planned meet-and-greet event at the Awujale Palace.
The development comes amid heightened security and government interventions in the selection process for one of Yorubaland’s most respected traditional rulerships.
In a letter dated January 20, 2026, issued by Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja, Secretary of the Awujale Afobaje Council, all nominees originally expected to participate in the palace engagement were instructed to report at the DSS office along NTA Road, beside the State Psychiatric Hospital, off Igbeba Road, Ijebu-Ode by 11:00 a.m. prompt. The council apologised for the inconvenience caused by the sudden change in plans.
The directive effectively replaced the much-anticipated meet-and-greet session with security profiling, obliging candidates to undergo screening at the DSS facility.
Traditional kingmakers had scheduled the palace event as part of the customary process that allows nominees to interact with key stakeholders before the formal selection phase.
The DSS invitation and event cancellation unfolded against the backdrop of Ogun State Government’s suspension of the Awujale selection exercise for the second time in recent weeks. In a separate circular dated January 20, 2026, the state government cited security concerns, petitions and procedural irregularities as reasons for temporarily halting the process.
The suspension order was communicated to the Awujale Kingmakers’ Council and the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, which has submitted a list of nominees for consideration.
The stool of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland has remained vacant since the passing of Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona in 2025, after a 65-year reign that consolidated the office’s prestige.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House presented 95 princes and one princess as contestants for the succession during the nomination process. Traditionally, the kingmaker’s vet and forward the preferred candidate to the government for confirmation and installation.
Security presence around the Awujale Palace intensified as nominees moved toward the DSS venue. Observers reported deployment of operatives from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as part of maintaining order amid the unfolding developments.
The DSS action has raised questions about the interplay between traditional authority structures, state power and national security interests in high-profile chieftaincy processes.
While the service’s stated role in the nomination exercise centres on security vetting, stakeholders emphasise the need to safeguard the integrity and cultural significance of traditional institutions like the Awujale stool.
Traditional rulers remain central to social cohesion and conflict resolution in many Nigerian communities, with their selection processes governed by customary laws and state frameworks such as the Obas and Chiefs Law.
The current intervention reflects growing sensitivity around the selection of enthronement candidates for widely revered positions, where community expectations and political oversight intersect.
For urban and regional leaders in Ogun State, the developments underscore the importance of balancing security imperatives with respect for traditional protocols.
The eventual resolution of the Awujale succession process will be closely watched, given its cultural resonance and implications for community stability in Ijebuland and broader Yoruba society.
Meta description: The Department of State Services has summoned all nominees for the Awujale stool in Ijebuland for profiling, cancelling a planned meet-and-greet at the palace amid Ogun State Government’s suspension of the selection process.
