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| Governor Kayode Fayemi |
The suspended kingmakers of Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State have threatened to take legal action against Governor Kayode Fayemi, if their suspension is not reversed.
They perceived their suspension leading to the appointment of warrant chiefs saddled with the task of selecting a new Olorin, as a desecration of tradition.
The selection of a new Olorin has been characterised by insistence of a section of the town and chiefs that the town has only two ruling houses, Olubunmo and Famokiti and rejected the third one called Ajibewa created by the government.
The suspended chiefs passed a vote of no confidence in the appointed warrant chiefs, describing them as political tools coming to destabilise the town.
The position became vacant following the demise of Oba Oluwole Olubunmo in 2015.
Addressing reporters in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the Onikare of Orin-Ekiti, Chief Bamidele Fasuyi and Eletin, Chief Francis Falua, alleged that they only heard about their suspension on the radio, which they described as Illegal, null and void.
Fasuyi, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, accused the government of acting like a โmafiaโ in the handling of the Obaship tussle, by allegedly sidelining those that matter and pivotal to the selection of an Oba.
โSoldiers and policemen just invaded our town, particularly the palace and Apelua hall where we revered as a sacred place. They forcefully went there and took away some of the paraphernalia relating to installation of Oba in Orin.
โIn fact, just take a look at the calibre of warrant chiefs they brought, they were riff-raff and nonentities.
โAt the demise of Olorin in 2015, the local government wrote to us and requested that we select someone from Ajibewa ruling house, basing it on a gazette generated in 1998 under Navy Capt. Atanda Yusuf.
โBut we replied on behalf of the town that the town only knew of Olubunmo and Famokiti royal dynasties and that Ajibewa was a product of illegality. The gazette they relied on, to us, was a fake.
โThe government should leave Orin alone. The Morgan Commission of Enquiry of 1978 established two ruling houses, so we didnโt know where they got the 1998 gazette that overrode the Morgan Report.
โWe want our suspension reversed with immediate effect. If they fail to act accordingly, we will have no option but to go to court to seek redress,โ he said.
Fasuyi urged the government to make public, the recommendations of the Justice Jide Aladejana Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Chieftaincy Issues that warranted the current action and stop being partisan by releasing to only Ajibewa group.
Chief Fasuyi on behalf of the Orin people described the White Paper generated in 1998 as a product of illegality.
But the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof. Adio Folayan, justified the action taken by the government, saying the chiefs were suspended upon realising that they were not passionate about the selection process.
Some leaders and indigenes of Oore of Otun, the headquarters of Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have opposed the appointment of Prince Adekunle Adeagbo as the monarch of the town.
The government on May 15 ratified the appointment of Adeagbo of Iyaaba Ruling House as the new Oore of Otun-Ekiti to fill the vacant stool.
The stool of Oore, which was one of the 16 most prominent Pelupelu Obas in Ekiti, became vacant following the demise of Oba Adedapo Popoola last October.
Addressing reporters in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the Head of Obajue Ruling House, Chief Adeleke Atolagbe, expressed displeasure about the decision of the government to appoint Adeagbo against the age-long custom, tradition and principle of rotation of the community.
โThe government has no vested interest in who becomes the Oba. But we have to act in public interest because there must not be any vacuum in the Obaship stool after five years.
โThe Chieftaincy Law permits us and gives the power to the government to appoint warrant chiefs and we acted within that power,โ he said.
Atolagbe berated the government for flouting the traditional law for them to have chosen Adeagbo, who hailed from Iyaaba Ruling House, contrary to the rotational policy that favours Obajeu Ruling House.
He said the appointment of Adeagbo as the monarch at a time suits were pending in courts over the royal tussle contravened the rule of law, describing it as โabsolute illegalityโ and โdirect assault on judicial processโ.
โIt is worrisome that despite that several suits were pending in court, the government went ahead to ratify the appointment of Prince Adekunle Adeagbo as the next Oore of Otun.
โSo, it is clear that the much expected respect for the rule of law is in danger in Ekiti State, as leaders flagrantly disobey law. Would leaders respect the rule of law which they are beneficiaries or allow same to die in Ekiti? We are watching.
โThe infamous Ifa selection as against Ifa divination done by the few kingmakers has created unnecessary tension in the town. For how long will the policemen be parading Otun nooks and crannies if we have done it right?
โWe appealing to Omoore, Otun sons and daughters to maintain peace, law and order since the court of law will determine next Oore,โ Atolagbe said.
