The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti monarchs

  • Monarchs meet Fayose, want Ekiti South to produce governor

    Traditional rulers in Ekiti State on Saturday urged political parties in the state to pick their candidates from Ekiti South Senatorial District ahead of the July 14 governorship election in the state.

    Ekiti South has not produced the governor since the state was created in 1996.

    Warning political parties to take their warning seriously, the monarchs said they would mobilise their people to vote against any political party that ignore their request at the election proper.

    Rising from an emergency meeting held with Governor Ayo Fayose on Saturday, the Obas vowed to mobilize their subjects to vote against any party that picks its candidate outside Ekiti South.

    The Elemure of Emure Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Adebowale Adebayo, who spoke on behalf of the royal fathers, said their position was in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

    He said: “We should have a candidate who should emerge from the south irrespective of political party. That will show fairness. Where a particular area is not considered in the scheme of things, that will amount to marginalisation.”

    The Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti, Oba Samuel Oladapo Oyebade, said the people of the south had waited for too long to occupy the state number one political seat.

    “We are part of Ekiti State. Any candidate from Ekiti South should be supported,” he said.

     

     

  • Olukere to Ekiti monarchs: I’m still an oba

    The Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Ganiyu Obasoyin, has insisted that he remains a traditional ruler in Ekiti State, despite the position of the State Council of Obas to the contrary.

    Obasoyin said it was wrong for the council to issue a statement and address the media that he should not be addressed as an oba when a committee set up by the body on his status had not released its report.

    Addressing reporters yesterday at his palace in Odo Oja area of Ikere-Ekiti, Obasoyin said he was made an oba by his community and derives his sovereignty from them, and not from the Council of Obas.

    The council, through its Chairman and the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, issued a statement last Thursday that Olukere should not be addressed as a king since he had not been so recognised by the state government.

    But Obasoyin described the council’s action as “the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob”.

    The embattled oba urged other monarchs not to allow themselves to be used by politicians.

    According to him, nothing can obliterate the institution of the Olukere, which he said had been in existence for ages.

    Obasoyin noted that the latest position of the obas had cast a doubt on the integrity of the report they were expected to submit on his status.

    He said: “I was not the person who made Olukere an oba. Before I was born, Olukere had been known as an oba in the whole of Yoruba land, even though he had not got a letter of recognition from the government.

    “Writing to the council to get recognition from the government does not indicate that the Olukere does not exist or that it has nothing to do with the institution of that obaship.

    “I want you to know that the institution of Olukere precedes or predates the creation of Ekiti State; the institution of the Olukere has been there before Ekiti State was created.

    “Government does not make an oba; it only recognises an oba. It is the people of the community that make an oba.

    “The Council of Obas visited me here in this palace sometime last year and they saw all we have in this palace, including artefacts, historical sites and the pictures of the past Olukere in their crowns.

    “I believe if they have anything against such, they would have raised it when they visited me. But I don’t want to engage my most respected obas in any war of words.

    “I have seen the report, even though it was unexpected and came to me as a rude shock. With recent happenings, the government of Governor Ayodele Fayose, I believe, is trying everything possible to destroy the institution of Olukere.

    “On the day I was released from prison for an offence I knew nothing about, Ikere residents showed who their oba is. I don’t think there is anybody anywhere whose words supersede those of my people in Ikere.

    “It is the people of Ikere I reign over as their oba. I am not an oba over any other community in Ekiti State. So, it is the people of Ikere who can say the Olukere is not our oba.

    “My most respected obas should live above board and not allow themselves to be used by any politician to rubbish the institution of obaship because government comes, government goes while the obaship institution remains forever.”

     

  • Lawyer to Ekiti monarchs: intervene in Olukere’s detention

    Lawyer to Ekiti monarchs: intervene in Olukere’s detention

    An indigene of Ikere in Ekiti State and Akure, Ondo State lawyer, Morakinyo Ogele, has urged traditional rulers in Ekiti State to intervene in the detention of Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Obasanyin Ganiyu.

    An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, last Wednesday, ordered that the monarch and five other persons be remanded in prison over allegations of conspiracy, attempted murder and murder.

    Ogele, who addressed reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, warned that the continued detention of the monarch could cause mayhem in the town.

    The lawyer urged monarchs and other well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in the matter and prevail on Governor Ayodele Fayose to stop ridiculing the Yoruba traditional institution.

    He recalled that while the embattled Olukere was opening his multi-million naira hotel, he reportedly said Ikere residents had not endorsed any indigene as their preferred candidate in this year’s governorship election in the state.

    Ogele said three days after, suspected thugs invaded the hotel and destroyed the monarch’s property.

    The lawyer said the police chased the hoodlums and killed one of them.

    He said: “But to our dismay, the story was changed and the monarch was charged to court on suspicion that he was involved in the killing.

    “It is curious that after Oba Obasanyin had been remanded in prison, the police said the boy was killed by them and that he was an armed robber.”

    Ogele said even if the monarch was not supporting an indigene of Ikere as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, it should not warrant his detention.

     

  • Ekiti monarchs, teachers adopt Olusola for governorship race

    Some teachers and traditional rulers in Ekiti State yesterday adopted Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola as their preferred candidate for the 2018 governorship election.

    They made the resolution at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at a luncheon for stakeholders to celebrate the state’s coming first in the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination for two consecutive years.

    Speaking on behalf of the monarchs, the Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, said Olusola, who oversees the Education sector, was instrumental to the NECO feat.

    The monarch, who is also the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, said: “Nothing was bad in allowing Olusola to continue from where Fayose will stop on October 15, next year.”

    The Deputy Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ipinlaye Oludele, noted that with continuity under Olusola, the gains in the sector would be sustained.

    Governor Ayo Fayose said putting teachers on the driver’s seat was responsible for the tremendous improvement in the sector since he assumed office.

    The governor said the secret of the state coming first in NECO and improving in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) performance was because of the priority given to teachers to drive education policies.

    He said: “Cynics said our performance last year was a fluke, but we have proved them wrong. We are also going to put more efforts at sustaining the gains. I am confident that my deputy would carry on from where I am stopping.”

     

  • Ekiti monarchs, elders intervene to stop fuel crisis

    Ekiti monarchs, elders intervene to stop fuel crisis

    The Ekiti State Council of Obas and Council of Elders have intervened to end a three-week scarcity of petrol in the state sparked by a row between Governor Ayo Fayose and members of the state chapter of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

    The national leaderships of IPMAN, Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had ordered stoppage of fuel supply to Ekiti over the alleged victimisation of petrol leaders by Fayose.

    The monarchs and elders held a peace meeting with petrol leaders yesterday at the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, in an attempt to save the state economy from collapse and bring relief to residents who now purchase fuel from neighbouring states.

    A source who was part of the meeting told The Nation that petrol dealers insisted that the state government must renovate three filling stations destroyed by suspected thugs before an amicable resolution of the crisis could be struck.

    The communiqué read: “We observed with regret, the disagreement between the state government and the fuel marketers leading to total shut of all petrol stations in Ekiti. We appeal to the parties to shift grounds because the lingering crisis was stifling the economy and causing serious pains to our people.

    “We want them to accelerate the process of reconciliation, so that acceptable terms for quick resolution of the crisis will be reached as soon as possible.”

     

  • ARG, Ekiti monarchs meet over Yoruba unity confab

    ARG, Ekiti monarchs meet over Yoruba unity confab

    A pan-Yoruba group, the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), yesterday held a meeting with Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers on its forthcoming National Conference for the Monarchs in the Southwest, Kogi and Kwara states.

    The group said the conference, which is scheduled to hold in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, is designed to cement Yoruba unity, create better understanding and cooperation in the eight states.

    ARG National Chairman, Olawale Oshun, who led a six-man delegation to meet with the Ekiti obas, described the group as non-political and working to ensure that the race remains the pacesetter and to ensure its economic progress.

    He said the visit was to formally invite the Ekiti traditional rulers to the conference because of their importance towards achieving unity in Yoruba land.

    Oshun noted that ARG is collaborating with Yoruba Academy and Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) to ensure the preservation of the Yoruba language and culture.

    Other ARG chieftains who accompanied Oshun include Segun Odegbami, Chairman Conference Planning Committee; Ayo Afolabi, ARG General Secretary; Kunle Famoriyo, ARG publicity Secretary; Bunmi Awotiku, Ekiti ARG Ekiti Coordinator and Segun Balogun, Programme Officer.

    Oshun said: “Yoruba people currently are not acting like one united people and not speaking with one voice on issues of common interest. This is unlike other ethnic groups in the country. Our group has taken up this challenge and the first move is to work out way on greater unity and cooperation among the region’s monarchs.”

    “Our worry lately is that there are traditional councils in each of the region’s constituent states, but yet, there is no forum where they meet to broker common grounds of common issues. This is not so among traditional councils in other ethnic groups.”

    “This time yesterday, we were with the Ooni of Ife and he endorsed our plan, and tomorrow, we also have plans to meet with the Alaafin of Oyo. We have written to Governor Ayodele Fayose to book an appointment to enable the group make necessary clarifications.”

     

  • Ekiti monarchs, subjects block highway over six-month power outage

    There was a gridlock on Ado-Aramoko-Ilesa Highway yesterday as residents of Aramoko and Erio in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State trooped out to protest power outage in their communities in the last six months.

    Motorists and commuters plying the road were stranded for over three hours as the highway was blocked on the outskirts and major junctions of the two communities.

    Also caught up in the crisis were newspaper distribution vans, which were forced to stop at Aramoko by angry youths who barricaded the road with logs of woods, iron and other missiles.

    At Aramoko, the protest was led by the Alara, Oba Adegoke Olu Adeyemi. That of Erio was led by its Regent, Princess Adejoke Aladetoyinbo Ojo.

    Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola visited the two communities in the heat of the protest and appealed to the demonstrators to give peace a chance by allowing government to mediate in the crisis.

    Olusola, the Alara and the regent later went to the spots, where roads were barricaded and urged the protesters to allow free flow of traffic.

    A meeting was then scheduled for the Deputy Governor’s Office, where the monarchs, community leaders and officials of Benin Distribution Company (BEDC) met on the issue.

    The protesters accused the BEDC of “illegal disconnection from the national grid” without their knowledge.

    They added that the electricity company was also distributing bills after the “disconnection”.

    They wondered why BEDC kept on distributing bills on electricity they did not use.

    The resident accused the distribution company’s officials of complicity in the vandalism of transformers in their communities.

    But the deputy governor reiterated that electricity has been privatised, saying the government’s duty was to mediate between the company and the consumers.

    He said: “But when the electricity companies and the consumers refuse to shift ground, there would be problems. The two parties must shift grounds to be able to reach an amicable solution to the problem.

    “When the community insists that without electricity, they would not pay and the electricity company says if they don’t pay, we won’t give them electricity; then the problem will persist.”

    The deputy governor said the state government and the affected communities would set up a committee to look into the problem.

  • Ekiti monarchs save Fayemi’s, Oni’s aides from eviction

    Ekiti monarchs save Fayemi’s, Oni’s aides from eviction

    • Fayose extends payment deadline till October 31

    Reprieve has come the way of the embattled landlords in Irewolede Housing Estate in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, who are yet to complete payment of their mortgages.

    Some traditional rulers led by the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, and other prominent indigenes of the state have prevailed on Governor Ayo Fayose to halt their eviction from the estate.

    Government task force team moved into the estate on Thursday to eject the ‘defaulting’ landlords, while some structures were also pulled down by bulldozers.

    But the opposition claimed that the action was targeted against many of its members who served in the Oni and Fayemi administrations.

    Following the intervention of the eminent persons, Fayose has fixed October 31 as the deadline for those yet to complete their payment to do so.

    In a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said he granted the extension because of the eminent persons intervention.

    According to the statement, the royal fathers and other Ekiti leading lights pleaded with the governor to give the landlords more time to pay up.

    The statement added: “The governor, however, showed compassion but warned against defaulting,  stating that government  will resume action against the defaulters by December 1.

    “Since the government action began, N13 million has been paid by some  of the defaulters”.

  • Ekiti monarchs to APC lawmakers: Don’t impeach Fayose

    Ekiti monarchs to APC lawmakers: Don’t impeach Fayose

    Traditional rulers in Ekiti State have warned the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the state House of Assembly against impeaching Governor Ayo Fayose.

    They reiterated their opposition in an unequivocal term to moves by the outgoing legislators and their sponsors to impeach the governor.

    According to the monarchs, all attempts to impeach the governor should stop forthwith.

    The Obas, who held an emergency meeting on Wednesday on the impeachment crisis rocking the state, accused the APC legislators who form majority in the state parliament of “consistently frustrating all their peace moves by not attending meetings called for the purpose.”

    In a 13-point communiqué signed by the Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Adamo Idowu Babalola, made available to reporters on Thursday, the monarchs said, “they are deeply concerned and worried about the lingering political upheaval which became aggravated after the March 28 presidential election.”

    The royal fathers, however, praised the State Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, for “rising above partisan positions to uphold the tent of his office despite pressure from interested quarters.

    They implored Daramola “to continue in the same spirit so as to ensure that the popular wish of the generality of the people is not subverted.”

    The Obas appealed to Fayose to “graciously consider giving palliative measures to alleviate the sufferings of the agitating legislators” whose salaries and entitlements have not been paid since December on the alleged orders of the governor.

    They maintained that Fayose still remains the legitimate governor of Ekiti State and should be allowed to exercise the mandate given to him by the electorate in the June 21, 2014 gubernatorial election.