Tension flared in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on Friday as scores of indigenes staged a peaceful protest over what they described as attempts to impose a candidate in the ongoing selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebuland.
The demonstrators marched through the Awujale Palace Road, chanting solidarity songs as they made their way to the Ijebu Ode Local Government Secretariat, where they registered their displeasure with the authorities.
The protest comes amid rising concern over transparency and fairness in the succession process for one of Yorubaland’s most revered traditional stools.
Earlier in the week, the Ogun State Government suspended the selection process following what it described as a wave of petitions and security warnings.
The decision was conveyed in a letter dated January 20, 2026, signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, and addressed to the Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area.
According to the Commissioner, “The Awujale stool is a foremost stool in Yoruba land generally and in Ogun State particularly. The stature of the immediate past Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for sixty-five years, significantly enhanced the modern esteem and prestige of the stool.”
The state government said it acted on security intelligence and multiple petitions from key stakeholders and security agencies. It explained that the move was necessary to preserve public order and protect the integrity of the selection process.
“In order to maintain public order, protect the integrity of the process, and maintain the veneration of the stool, it has become imperative to halt the selection process at this time,” the letter added.