The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited nominees for the vacant Awujale stool of Ijebuland, citing security concerns surrounding the succession process.
Gatekeepers News reports that the invitation, dated January 20, was issued via a letter from the secretary of the Awujale Afobaje Council, directing heads of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, including Lateef Owoyemi, Dokun Ajidagba, and Fassy Yusuf, to ensure all nominees report to the DSS office along NTA Road, beside the state psychiatric hospital off Igbeba Road in Ijebu-Ode.
In a separate notice, the kingmakers announced the cancellation of the day’s scheduled meet-and-greet, instructing nominees to report to the DSS facility instead.
The development follows heightened tensions over the Awujale succession, after the Ogun State Government previously halted the selection exercise over petitions, procedural concerns, and security reports. Authorities had stressed the need to maintain peace, order, and the integrity of the stool.
Observers note that the latest DSS involvement intensifies scrutiny of the process, highlighting the Awujale’s prominence as one of Yorubaland’s foremost traditional institutions.
