DSS reportedly invites Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti over alleged request for governor’s chair
The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly invited the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Adeola Ajakaiye, for questioning over an alleged request for the chair used by Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, during a thanksgiving service in the community.
The incident reportedly followed Oyebanji’s attendance at a thanksgiving service at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti, on May 31, 2026. The governor had attended the event at the invitation of Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, an indigene of the town.
According to correspondence reportedly exchanged between the church and the Oluyin’s Palace, the monarch allegedly asked the church to release the chair used by the governor, saying it was needed for “royal custody and appropriate traditional rites”.
The church reportedly turned down the request, explaining that the chair was its property and could not be released. It also stated that the chair had already been dismantled and incorporated into the church’s altar furniture.
In its response, the church reportedly maintained that it could not surrender or transfer dedicated church property for purposes outside established ecclesiastical procedures. It said it was responsible for preserving and managing its property in line with the doctrine and rules of the Anglican Church.
The palace reportedly maintained its position, with a letter from the Oluyin-in-Council stating that a replacement chair to be commissioned in the future would be kept under strict guard to prevent what it described as a recurrence of “desecration” against the sanctity of the stool.
The development has reportedly caused concern among some residents, particularly over the circumstances surrounding the request. The controversy also reportedly extended to the church, following the transfer of its vicar, Ven. Dr. Samuel Sunday Agunbiade, who had opposed the release of the chair.
Some residents have called for a thorough investigation by the DSS to establish the reason behind the request and determine whether there was any ulterior motive. They also urged all parties involved to allow the matter to be properly investigated rather than rely on speculation.
