Fayemi, Obas disagree over traditional chair

There is serious disagreement between Governor Kayode Fayemi and the seventeen most senior traditional rulers over the appointment of the Alawe  of Ilawe , Oba Adebanji Alabi as the chairman of  Ekiti state  Council of Traditional Rulers.

Fayemi had announced Alabi’s appointment on the 31st of August 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 Oba’s council.

The chairmanship of the council had hitherto been the exclusive preserve of the seventeen most senior Obas in the state. They are called the Pelupelu Obas.

The Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti in an exclusive interview with Blueprint  listed the Pelupelu Obas: 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 and the  Elekole of Ikole.

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

They stated that Fayemi contravened the Ekiti state Chieftaincy Law which stipulated that the chairman can only be appointed among Alademerindinlogun/pelupelu Obas with his action.

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 bluffs of the aggrieved Obas and in spite of 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 17 aggrieved Pelupelu Obas made good their threat to boycott the ceremony that was largely graced by first class 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 traveled abroad, 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 recognition of that status.

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

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

“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 disregard for the tradition on earth and a sin against our forefathers”, they said.

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