The people and residents of Osi-Ekiti, in Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti state have rejected the alleged plan by officials of government to impose a new traditional ruler on the community.
The residents who spoke during a peaceful protest in the community on Saturday explained that the process leading to the pronouncement of a new Olosi of Osi-Ekiti should be transparent and devoid of any of form of imposition, calling on governor Biodun Oyebanji to urgently intervene to avert crisis in the community.
The stool became vacant, following the demise of Oba Oladiran Agunbiade on the 5th of August, 2021, following which the Arubiojo Ruling House was contacted by government to fill the vacant stool.
Speaking during an interview on Saturday, the head of the kingmakers and Ejemu of Osi-Ekiti, High Chief Oluwafemi Olayinka faulted moves by some individuals to bypass the laid down procedures in selecting traditional ruler and impose on the community.
The nonagenarian who revealed that he had participated in the selection of two traditional rulers for the community, said they were done with the necessary traditional consultations with Ifa Oracle.
He added that an attempt to jettison the age-long practice and handpicked an individual would not be in the interest of peace, progress and the development of the community.
He advised the official of government at both State and local government levels to give the community opportunity to follow the normal process in picking a new Oba and forward his name to the authorities.
According to him, ” We all know the procedure for choosing a traditional ruler and the procedure they are following is wrong. To just pick someone without doing the needful is totally wrong. There is a need for us to do it in a traditional way of consulting the Ifa Oracle.
” I came to this town fully in 1983 from Kano and since then I have been here to know how things are done, I have witnessed the installation of two traditional rulers.
” It appears the government is doing everything to bypass the kingmakers which is not right.When the Oracle picks the right man, then we will inform the local government that we have chosen someone.
” We will have a meeting tomorrow morning(Sunday) on the same issue.”
Also speaking, the Basorun of Osi-Ekiti, High Chief Sunday Ajibola said series of traditional consultations made across the state and beyond pointed to one of the Princes as the chosen one for the vacant throne and not the person being pushed by the authority.
He said, ” My mother was born in this ruling house and family for the throne. I started this process for a new traditional ruler since 2022 and after due consultations with the Ifa Oracle in every place visited, it was on a same direction and individual.
” Even, when the town did their own Ifa Oracle consultation, it was same that James Adewumi should be made king for the community to have peace and progress.
” The government should allow the community to do it the way we have been doing it in the interest peace and development.
” If government impose on the community, there is always repercussions and consequences ; you can see instances around communities what they are facing in the state where government impose traditional rulers on the people.”
On his part, the 68-year-old Esaba of Osi-Ekiti , High Chief Ishola Famutimi, advised that the due process must be strictly followed to avoid crisis in the community.
” I will advise government to allow the normal process to be followed which is the Ifa Oracle consultation to pick a new traditional ruler for us, anything short of this will be counterproductive for the community, we are saying our own now, ” he said.
