The development followed correspondence exchanged between the church and the Oluyin-in-Council over the chair used by Oyebanji during the service on May 31, 2026.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Adeola Ajakaiye, for questioning over his palace’s unusual demand for the chair used by Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji during a thanksgiving service at Babamuboni Memorial Anglican Church, Iyin-Ekiti.

The development followed correspondence exchanged between the church and the Oluyin-in-Council over the chair used by Oyebanji during the service on May 31, 2026.

SaharaReporters gathered that Oyebanji attended the thanksgiving service at the invitation of the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, an indigene of Iyin-Ekiti, days before the Ekiti State governorship election.

According to the correspondence, the Oluyin’s Palace subsequently requested that the specific chair on which the governor had sat during the church service be handed over to the palace.

The church’s vicar, Ven. Dr. Samuel Sunday Agunbiade, reportedly declined the request, which the church considered unusual.

The palace subsequently wrote formally to the church, titled, ‘Re: Acknowledgement Of Your Letter Of Apology To The Stool Dated 4th June, 2026,’ insisting that the chair be surrendered for what it described as “royal custody and appropriate traditional rites.”

Church

A June 17, 2026 letter signed by the Secretary of the Oluyin-in-Council, Chief Elejide Omobulejo, and addressed to the Reverend Vicar, acknowledged receipt of an earlier apology from the church over what the palace described as an “unfortunate incident” during the governor’s visit.

The letter stated, “I am directed by His Royal Majesty, Oba, Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, and the entire Oluyin-in-Council to acknowledge with due respect the receipt of your letter of apology to the revered stool dated 4th June 2026.

“The said letter addressed the unfortunate incident that transpired during the visit of the Executive Governor of Ekiti State to the Thanksgiving Service in your church.

“After due consultation and deliberation, the Oluyin-in-Council has resolved as follows:

“That the said chair which was the subject of the grievous incident be conveyed forthwith to the Palace of the Oluyin for Royal custody and appropriate Traditional rites.”

The council also directed that any replacement chair should be protected against what it described as a recurrence of the incident.

“That the replacement chair to be commissioned henceforth shall be placed under strict and adequate guard at all times, to avert any future desecration or recurrence of such grave oversight against the sanctity of the stool.”

The letter was signed by Omobulejo as Secretary of the Oluyin-in-Council.

Church Rejects Palace's Demand

The Anglican Church rejected the request, arguing that the chair was church property and could not be surrendered to the palace for external purposes.

The church also explained that the original chair was no longer in existence in its previous form, having been dismantled and incorporated into the altar furnishing.

In its response, the church reportedly stated, “Consequently, the Church is not at liberty to surrender, transfer, or remove dedicated Church property for external purposes outside the procedures prescribed by ecclesiastical authority.”

“As custodians of these properties, we are duty-bound to preserve and administer them in accordance with the doctrine, discipline, and governance of the Church,” it added.

Despite the church’s position, the palace reportedly maintained its demand.

Vicar's Transfer Raises Questions

The dispute has also allegedly triggered a fallout involving the church's leadership.

The vicar, Ven. Dr. Agunbiade, who reportedly resisted the palace's demand, was subsequently transferred from the church.

The circumstances surrounding the transfer have generated concern among some residents, who believe it may have been connected to the dispute.

However, the circumstances and official reason for the vicar’s transfer could not be independently established from the documents made available to SaharaReporters.

The palace’s demand has generated controversy in Iyin-Ekiti, with some residents questioning why the chair used by the governor would be required for “traditional rites.”

Some residents alleged that the request could have had a sinister motive, including the possibility of using the chair for ritual purposes against the governor.

Those claims, however, remain allegations and have not been independently established.

Residents also said they were concerned by the reported involvement of the DSS, arguing that the invitation of the monarch showed that the security agency considered the matter significant enough to warrant investigation.

They called for a thorough investigation to establish why the palace requested the governor’s chair and what was intended by the reference to “appropriate Traditional rites.”

The residents further noted that political leaders, including governors and presidents, routinely attend religious services across Nigeria without their seats subsequently being requested by traditional institutions for rituals.

The DSS has not publicly disclosed the reason for inviting the monarch, while the Oluyin's Palace has yet to publicly explain the specific nature of the “traditional rites” referred to in its letter. (Sahara Reporters)

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