The crisis rocking the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has assumed a different dimension, as ranks of the 16 most prominent monarchs, otherwise called Pelupelu, have been broken over the rejection of Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, as the new chairman of the council.
The prominent monarchs had on August 9 instituted litigation at Ado-Ekiti High Court challenging the appointment of Oba Alabi by Governor Kayode Fayemi.
In a writ of summons file, the 17 obas urged the court to reverse Fayemiโs action on the premise that Alawe was not recognised by statute to chair the council, claiming they had the exclusive rights to head the council, among the 22 members, in line with the extant tradition and the State Chieftaincy Laws.
The aggrieved Pelupelu said they are opposed to the appointment and threatened that they wonโt attend the inauguration of Alawe as Council Chairman and any meeting of the council where he presides.
However, the sign that the ranks of the Obas has broken over the litigation against Fayemi came to public glare on Tuesday, as two of the aggrieved prominent traditional rulers; Fayemiโs hometown monarch Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon and the Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Oba Abdulmumin Orisagbemi, attended the council meeting presided over by Oba Alabi.
Since the appointment was made on July 31, after the expiration of the tenure of Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, the 17 Obas, the aggrieved, had shun the council meeting owing to the impression that Alawe was politically promoted to that rank and that he was not qualified to occupy the exalted seat.
A source among the Obas, who craved anonymity, told journalists yesterday that the two Obas were at the last council meeting held at the council chambers on Tuesday.
The source added that more of them would attend another meeting of the council slated for December 10, saying the two only came to test the waters and see how the reaction would look like.
โThe first class and other Obas present at the chamber were so happy when they saw the Atttah and Onisan in attendance.
โThe two Obas came and they said that they were ready to embrace the out of- court settlement and reconciliation moves being made by Governor Fayemi, the Minister of Trade , Investment and Industry, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and Ekiti Council of Elders.
โWith this, it was obvious that the crisis is gradually being resolvedโ, he said.
Speaking on the development, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof. Adio Folayan, said government has been making efforts to broker peace among the warring Obas.
