Between Fayemi and Ekiti traditional rulers: Who blinks first?

The seeming political/cum constitutional breach between Kayode Fayemi and some royal father’s in the state appears to be setting the state on fire. RAPHAEL ADEYANJU in this piece writes on further looming crisis.

At the moment, there is general sense of unease in Ekiti state over the sheer disagreement between the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the 17 most senior traditional rulers in the state.

Genesis of their problem

The disagreement stems from the appointment of the Alawe of Ilawe Oba Adebanji Alabi as chairman, Ekiti state Council of Traditional Rulers.

Fayemi had announced Alabi’s appointment on August 31 at the expiration of the tenure of Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju whose tenure expired on July 31st as the chairman of the traditional rulers council.

Blueprint gathered that the chairmanship of the council had hitherto been the exclusive preserve of the 17 most senior Obas in the state called the Pelupelu Obas.

The Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti in an exclusive interview with Blueprint had listed the Pelupelu Obas to include Ajero of Ijero, Alara of Aramoko, Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Ogoga of Ikere, Olomuo of Omuo, Attah of Ayede, Onitaji of Itaji, Oloye of Oye, Arinjale of Ise, Ologotun of Ogotun, Elemure of Emure, Alaaye of Efon, Owa Ooye of Okemesi and Olojudo of Ido Faboro, onisan of isan Ekiti, elekole of ikole.

These traditional rulers in their numbers also called the Alademerindinlogun had, immediately after the appointment, gone to the court to challenge Oba Alabi’s appointment.

They stated that Fayemi contravened the relevant portion of Ekiti state Chieftaincy Law which stipulates that the chairman can only be appointed among Alademerindinlogun/pelupelu Obas.

The rulers claimed in their deposition in the suit filed before Ekiti state High Court that the promotion of Alawe to Pelupelu status was political and that could not grant him the power to become the chairman of the traditional council.

The governor in apparent move to call the bluff of the aggrieved Obas despite the pending litigation, last Thursday, swore in the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi as the chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers.

The royal father’s ignored the governor

The 17 aggrieved Pelupelu Obas made good their threat by boycotting the ceremony that was largely attended by first class chiefs and other kings under the aegis of Majority Obas of Ekiti state.

They had in a letter written to the governor on August 2 and signed by 15 Pelupelu Obas with the exception of Oore of Otun, Oba Adedapo Popoola, who travelled out of the country in the wake of this development, told Fayemi to reverse the action, saying a court had earlier struck out a suit filed by five monarchs who were promoted to Pelupelu and seeking a recognition of that status.

They said the promotion of Alawe, Olosi, Olojudo (Ido Ile), Arajaka and Oluyin to that of Pelupelu rank by the government was an erosion of the tradition, saying all the appointments were done in violation of the tradition and existing laws.

They said they were opposed to the appointment and threatened that they won’t attend the inauguration of the Alawe as council chairman as well as any meeting of the council where he presides.

According to them, “We respectfully state that we would be creating a bad precedent to accept to sit under a chairmanship of Alawe as it would amount to a total disregard for the tradition on earth and a sin against our forefathers,” they said.

During the inauguration, the state deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, said that in the next two years, the council would compose of 32 permanent members out of the 58 members that would attend the council meeting under Alawe.

Fayemi pleads for understanding

The state governor, Dr Fayemi, who did not speak on the pending litigation in court, explained that the constitution of the council became inevitable owing to the fact that the traditional rulers play pivotal roles in the stability of every community and the nation in general.

“I want to charge you to cooperate with this government and be at the forefront of the fight against anti-social behaviour because what we need to promote development is peace.

“I want you to be protectors of your people as custodians of culture and tradition in your domains. Despite modernity, you remain the rallying point and you will ever remain relevant.

“I want to appreciate the immediate past council for putting in their best in piloting the affairs of the council. I have no doubt the new council will collaborate with government for more development in our state.

“You must ensure that you unite the traditional institution and eschew baseless rivalry. Don’t be used by fifth columnists that don’t understand that elections are over in Ekiti. Don’t also allow unnecessary communal clashes that could destabilise the state.

“Ekiti has been lucky since its creation and in this period of its history when I was appointed the chairman of Nigeria’s Governor’s Forum despite the fact that Ekiti is not the oldest state in Nigeria. Whatever we must  have achieved or got in life, is an act of God who knows the end from the beginning,” he said.

Oba Alabi promised to be fair to all Obas regardless of status, urging his members to restrict themselves to giving advice to governors and not criticism. He said, “We are not running a labour union. We can’t afford any form of antagonism and bickering as we are not in competition with the governor. We are advisory body in line with the law that established this council. We assure Mr governor of our unalloyed loyalty to be able to move Ekiti forward.”

He told his members that  the security challenges in the state and region can only be tackled with the cooperation of the Obas with the government at all levels.

“The best way to cooperate with government is by ensuring that we don’t allow criminal elements to infiltrate our communities.

“If we do this, we would be able to insulate security threat whether in the form of banditry, kidnapping, robbery or insurgency. We can also help the government pursue a deliberate policy of disarmament as part of the ways to overcome the present situation,” he noted.

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