As the obaship tussle in Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government area of Ekiti State rages on, the suspended kingmakers in the town have threatened to take Governor Kayode Fayemi to court if the action is not reversed.
The kingmakers alleged that their suspension and subsequent appointment of warrant chiefs to take over the role of selecting a new Olorin is a desecration of the town’s tradition.
The allegation followed series of crises in Orin-Ekiti as a section of the town and chiefs insisted that only two ruling houses, namely Olubunmo and Famokiti, are recognised by tradition, and that Ajibewa ruling house was a creation of the government.
The suspended chiefs passed a vote of no confidence in the appointed of warrant chiefs, describing them as political tools unleashed to destabilise the town.
The position became vacant following the demise of Oba Oluwole Olubunmo in 2015.
Addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, the Onikare of Orin-Ekiti, Chief Bamidele Fasuyi and Eletin, Chief Francis Falua, alleged that they heard about their suspension on radio, an action that was illegal, null and void in the face of the law.
Chief Fasuyi, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, accused the government of acting like a “mafian” in handling the crisis by allegedly sidelining pivotal personalities in the selection process.
He said, “Soldiers and policemen just invaded our town, particularly the palace and Apelua hall where we revered as a sacred places. They forcefully went there and took away some of the paraphernalia relating to installation of Oba in Orin.
“In fact, just take a look at the calibre of warrant chiefs they brought, they were riffraffs and nonentities.
“At the demise of Olorin in 2015, the Local Government wrote to us and requested that we select someone from Ajibewa ruling house, basing it on a gazette generated in 1998 under Navy Capt Atanda Yusuf.
“But we replied on behalf of the town that the town only knew of Olubunmo and Famokiti royal dynasties and that Ajibewa was a product of illegality. The gazette they relied on to us was fake.
He added, “The government should leave Orin alone. The Morgan Commission of Enquiry of 1978 established two ruling houses, so we didn’t know where they got the 1998 gazette that overrode the Morgan report.
“We want our suspension reversed with immediate effect and if they fail to act accordingly, we will have no option than to go to court to seek redress.”
Fasuyi urged the government to make public the recommendations of Justice Jide Aladejana Judicial Commission of Enquiry on chieftaincy issues that warranted the present action and stop being partisan by releasing them to only Ajibewa group.
He therefore, on behalf of the people of Orin-Ekiti, described the white paper generated in 1998 as a product of illegality.
Reacting to the allegations, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof Adio Folayan, said the action taken by the government was justified as action taken on the chiefs was due to their lack of passion for the selection process.
He said, “The government had no vested interest in who becomes the oba, but we have to act in public interest because there must not be any vacuum in the obaship stool after five years.
“The Chieftaincy Law permits us and gives the powers to government to appoint warrant chiefs and we acted within that powers.”