Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
A royal family, Famokiti, of Orin Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, has sued Governor Kayode Fayemi for allegedly imposing someone from an unknown royal family as a new Olorin-elect.
A suit number HAD/44/20, filed at the Ekiti State High Court, Ado-Ekiti Division, urged the court to nullify the selection of One Adeniran Oluwafemi Ajibewa from Ajibewa ruling house as Olorin-elect on the premise that such royal dynasty never existed in the history of the town.
The suit was filed by Princes Gbenga Fajulugbe, Olaniyi Fajulugbe and Segun Olatoye, representing Famokiti royal dynasty as plaintiffs.
Joined as defendants are: Adeniran Ajibewa(1st), Samuel Ajibewa(2nd), Governor Kayode Fayemi(3rd), the Attorney General( 4th), Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs(5th) and Secretary, Ido/Osi local government(6th).
The legal document deposed to by their Lawyer, Obafemi Adewale, the plaintiffs said the selection was a flagrant violation of the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law, Olorin Chieftaincy Review of 1977 and Morgan Report of 1988, which only recognised Famokiti and Olubunmo as the two existing ruling houses in the town.
The plaintiffs contended that the recent Justice Jide Aladejana Judicial panel of enquiry set up by Fayemi to review Chieftaincy matters in Ekiti turned down the request for the creation of Ajibewa dynasty and gave vivid recommendation that only Famokiti and Olubunmo should be recognised.
Based on the foregoing, they craved for an injunctive order setting aside the selection, nomination and approval of 1st defendant as Olorin-elect.
They also sought an order  restraining the governor or its agents from going ahead with the installation or taking further steps, pending the determination of the substantive case.
Also sought “is a declaration that the 1st defendant is neither from Famokiti nor Olubunmo and that Famokiti is the next to produce the new Olorin.
“Also a declaration that the principle of rotation should be followed and to also proclaim the 1st defendant’s selection and approval null, void and illegal.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd defendants from parading themselves or allowed themselves to be held out as members of Olorin Chieftaincy ruling houses.”
Following the selection and approval of Adeniran Ajibewa as Olorin-elect, the two ruling houses, had on 4th of June, 2020 written a protest letter to the governor, saying Oluwafemi Ajibewa was not a recognised Prince in the town.
The letter written through the Law Chambers of Obafemi Adewale and Co, insisted that the gazette purportedly signed on 3rd June, 1999, which established Ajibewa royal dynasty was a product of forgery and a flagrant mutilation of historical facts about the community.
However, the state government via the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof Adio Folayan, had always maintained that due diligence was followed in the selection and that no law or tradition was circumvented.
The stool became vacant following the demise of Oba Oluwole Olubunmo in 2015.