Obaship crisis: Don’t set our community ablaze, Ekiti residents warn Fayemi

By RASAQ IBRAHIM, Ado Ekiti

Indigenes and leaders of Orin-Ekiti in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State have warned Governor Kayode Fayemi against presenting staff of office to the Oba-elect, Prince Olufemi Ajibewa.

They warned that taking such a step might set the community ablaze and would be tantamount to contempt of court, in view of the pendency of an interlocutory application challenging the selection process in court.

The position became vacant following the demise of Oba Oluwole Olubunmo, in 2015.

Sequel to the vacancy, Mr. Olufemi Ajibewa, was installed by Fayemi against resistance from the two ruling houses, saying Ajibewa was alien to history and never belonged to royalty.

Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday, Prince Segun Olubunmo on behalf of the community, said the ruling houses, said the Justice Jide Aladejana Chieftaincy review commission composed by Fayemi himself rejected the application of Ajibewas to be recognised as a ruling house.

He said government pressing ahead to install someone from that family was “anti-democratic, despotic, anti-cultural and obnoxious”.

“We learned that Olufemi Ajibewa has started lobbying the government to give him a staff of office. Some even said the Oba -elect has been receiving salaries, but that was unfounded.

“We are concerned that the man (Oba-elect) is in the country and he had been going round to lobby powerful people in government to get his staff of office silently without our notice.

“But we are warning that the matter is in court. We have filed an injunction to restrain the government and nobody should prompt the position of the court, it is contemptuous and liable.

“The person with which the government wanted to crown is our tenant, not a prince. We have given them quit notice to leave our land at Orin. If they belong to royalty, would they have been asked to vacate the vicinity of the palace? They are tenants and they will remain tenants.

“No one can force us to accept a person who is not a prince as a king to be installed as a king. Ekiti should not be a precedent where desperation for the installation of Obas is high. You can’t use the Obaship position to please a friend. The interest of the public should supersede.

“We have produced 17 Obas and none of them was from Ajibewa.” (The Nation)