ADEWOLE KEHINDE
The royal rumble rocking Orin Ekiti, in Ido/ Osi local government area of Ekiti State on Thursday assumed a novel, dangerous dimension, as the town accused Governor Kayode Fayemi of plotting to impose an Oba from a family that was alien to the obaship history of the community.
The community claimed that attempt by the Governor Fayemi-led government to establish and impose a king from Ajibewa House is strange to obaship history and tradition of the town , thereby constituting illegality in the face of the law.
The Olorin stool became vacant sequel to the demise of Oba Oluwole Olubunmo from Olubunmo ruling house in 2015.
Addressing newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, the spokeperson of the aggrieved ruling houses, Prince Segun Olubunmo maintained that only the Olubunmo and Famokiti dynasties have reigned in the community for over 400 years.
He said the recommendation of the Jide Aladejana judicial panel of enquiry lent credence to the fact that Ajibewa next existed, wondering why government decided to overrule a commission it sets up to probe into this contentious issue.
“Though the outcome of the commission has not been made public, but we are privy to the information therein to the effect that only Olubunmo and Famokiti are in existence.
“Ajibewa is a product of illegality.
The government wants to impose from Ajibewa instead of Famokiti. This is tantamount to desecration of our tradition and infringement of the Ekiti State chieftaincy law.
“To show their desperation, all the kingmakers were suspended to give way for the appointment of six warrant chiefs who are politicians to carry out their sinister motive.
“From time immemorial, history only established two ruling houses and it would amount trying the stoke the fire of acrimony and set Orin ablaze by bringing Ajibewa through the backdoor”
Olubunmo , who called on the state House of Assembly to reverse the action , threatened to take legal action against the government should the plan materialises.
He accused the leadership of Ido/Osi Council of being the arrowhead allegedly working in cahoots with some people in Ajibewa family to pervert justice and ignite crisis in Orin.
But responding, the Commissioner for Loca Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof Adio Folayan, justified the suspension of the kingmakers, alleging that they have been taking side and creating a vacuum in the Olorin stool for too long.
On alleged plan to impose a monarch from illegal ruling house, Adio said: “this is capital no. Government was not interested in who becomes the king, but we took those actions in public interest.
“Only two kingmakers out of the six are alive and the two failed to act on the selection and that was why they were suspended for six warrant chiefs to be appointed to perform the task in line with the Ekiti State chieftaincy law 2012”, he stated.