Chairmanship tussle: Prolonged road to peace in Ekiti broken-down council

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The resolution on Monday of the rift between Ekiti Scream Governor, Kayode Fayode and some mighty broken-down rulers over the chairmanship of the declare broken-down council, has doused the stress in the declare, ABIODUN NEJO writes
It was seven long months of stress this ability that of the standoff between Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti Scream  and some obas beneath the aegis of the Alademerindinlogun (meaning 16 crowned obas) or the 16 Pelupelu Obas.
Nonetheless the intervention of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, when the topic reached the height final week brought on technique to the topic.
One of the most important simplest ways it began
The bone of contention was the appointment and inauguration on August 15, 2019 by Fayemi of the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, because the chairman of the declare Council of Light Rulers to prevail the instant past council chairman, the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, on expiration of his two-year tenure.
The Alademerindinlogun Obas (previously consisting 16 but now 17 monarchs) had antagonistic the appointment of the Alawe, asserting that chairmanship of the council was the strange withhold of the 16 obas and that selecting someone exterior the community as chairman of the council was “a violation of the Ekiti Scream Chieftaincy Law.”
Even though the council chairmanship had continuously been circled among the many 16 Pelupelu Obas, it was the reasoning of the Fayemi administration that since there had been addition to the community of the Pelupelu Obas which had elevated the number to 22, all of them could possibly maybe well also as smartly chair the council, therefore the appointment of the Alawe.
Nonetheless the 16 Pelupelu Obas noticed the appointment as an aberration; therefore their resolution to defend a ways off from the meetings of the broken-down council, authorities programmes as a mark of declare.
Members of the Alamerindinlogun Obas are the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oloye of Oye, Elekole of Ikole, Elemure of Emure, Ajero of Ijero,  Alara of Aramoko, Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Olomuo of Omuo, Alaaye of Efon, Ologotun of Ogutun, Olujudo of Ido-Faboro, Onisan Of Isan, Attah of Ayede, Owa-Ooye of Okemesi, Onitaji of Itaji, Oore of Otun and Arinjale of Ise Ekiti.
The Alademerindinlogun Obas additionally took the governor and the Alawe to court docket in a suit number HAD/76/2019, to project Fayemi’s preference of Oba Alabi as chairman, praying the court docket to, among others, resolve whether or no longer the movement was factual and nullification of the appointment which they described as “a violation of the Ekiti Scream Chieftaincy Law.”
The Pelupelu concept
The Alawe, had, whereas explaining the Pelupelu concept, described it as “a nomenclature light in the native parlance for the assembly of obas. It system ‘name obas to assembly.’ He explained that it came into being in 1900 when the British colonialists came to Nigeria. For them to be succesful of make certain the success of indirect rule protection, they had to employ the monarchs.
“That was the foremost time monarchs in the country were brought together. They efficiently known as 16 obas in Ekiti. That was the initiating build of what they known as Pelupelu. The Deji of Akure, now in Ondo Scream and the Owalobo of Obo, now in Kwara were among the many 16 obas in Ekiti that attended the foremost assembly.
“Deji and Owalobo left in 1901, remaining 14 obas. Attah of Ayede was admitted to Pelupelu in 1920, Elemure of Emure was admitted in 1929. In 1947, four obas (Alawe, Arajaka, Olojudo of Ido-Ile and Olosi) were admitted bringing the number to 19. Olomuo was admitted in 1973 and Oluyin in 2018 bringing the number to 22. The Alawe has been a Pelupelu Oba since 1947.”
Oba Alabi, who had at that point expressed assurance of resolution of the disaster, acknowledged, “Be as it’d also, we’re all colleagues, we’re participants of the same family, it’s a ways royal family, we is no longer going to but appreciate disagreements. If we now appreciate any incompatibility, we will settle it peacefully and amicably.
“We are broken-down rulers. We are supposed to be the embodiment of self-discipline, decency and pacesetters in the communities. If we’re combating among ourselves, how will our issues heed at us? Who would adjudicate for us? To me, it doesn’t augur smartly. We are speaking, I’m reaching out to my colleague obas.
“We are chums. I will guarantee you that in no a ways away time, all the pieces will be sorted out.”
Stakeholders interventions
The standoff between the governor and the broken-down rulers was a supply of concern to stakeholders in the declare and certainly in the Yoruba nation, who were persuaded that the monarchs, as custodians in their domains, appreciate roles to play in the enchancment of the declare in all spheres.
Elder statesman and the Chairman, Standing Committee for the Introduction of Ekiti Scream, Chief Oladeji Fasuan, acknowledged, “The implication of the tussle is that there would be no peace  and that is what  we’re involved to lead sure of. All aspects appreciate correct causes, however the interest of this declare is above every various ingredient. We are overjoyed that each and every aspects agreed that we can talk and resolve disorders.”
Alarmed by the enchancment then, the Ekiti Council of Elders speedy moved in to intervene, a pattern simplest expressed by the persuasion of its President, Prof Joseph Oluwasanmi, who acknowledged, “The declare can’t be at ease if the level to declare have to composed proceed. That is the implication.”
The senior voters, at a press conference the build they disclosed their mediatory roles in the tussle, appealed to each and every aspects in the disaster to sheathe their swords and explore alternate choices of peace and known as for warning and discretion, asserting the logjam, if no longer amicably resolved on time, could possibly maybe well also very smartly be hijacked by miscreants to cause project for the declare.
Oluwasanmi acknowledged, “We usually are no longer overjoyed at the prospect of non-patriotic indigenes exploiting a minor declare which will be resolved between father and son. We appreciate arrived at a declare the build each and every aspects will be willing to dialogue together so as to finding beneficial resolutions to the disorders.”
The senior voters, who acknowledged the problem want to be brought beneath adjust to enable the declare to proceed to are residing in peace and cohesion, acknowledged, “We as senior voters, appreciate had the choice of discussing with the governor and the senior obas.”
Per Oluwasanmi, following the “minute incompatibility between the authorities and our senior obas, we now appreciate had the choice of going through connected documents. We appreciate long passed through files which throw light on the contending concern and we’re ecstatic that some originate of accommodation could possibly maybe well also be reached between our authorities and our royal fathers.”
The Elders’ Council impressed it on the Alademerindinlogun Obas to withdraw the suit they had instituted to pave the kind for amicable resolution of the standoff.
Nonetheless, alongside the line, five of the 16 Pelupelu Obas – the Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Gabriel Adejuwon; Attah of Ayede-Ekiti, Oba Abdulmumin Orisagbemi; Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola; Owa-Ooye of Oke-Imesi, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji; and Arinjale of Ise-Ekiti, Oba Ajayi Adetunji, shifted grounds, thus depleting the ranks of the aggrieved obas to 11.
A brand original twist
When Ekiti other folks thought progress was being made in resolution of the disaster, the problem took a brand original set off March 11 when Fayemi queried the 11 remaining aggrieved Pelupelu Obas over alleged insubordination.
The governor, in the inquire issued in my realizing to the affected broken-down rulers by the Bureau on Chieftaincy Affairs dated March 11, gave the monarchs 72 hours within which to acknowledge.
The inquire entitled “Re: Absence from declare functions and Council of Light Rulers’ month-to-month meetings” was signed by A.O Adeoye on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the bureau. It be taught in phase, “It had come to the consideration of Mr Governor that Your Royal Majesty has no longer been attending the month-to-month statutory assembly of the Scream Council of Light Rulers and Scream reliable functions since August 2019.
“Your conspicuous absence at the Council meetings and declare reliable functions, without any excuse or justification is believed about inimical to the delicate administration of the chieftaincy institution you represent.
“As a end result of this truth, Mr Governor has directed that Your Royal Majesty have to composed forward your illustration for this inactivity through this build of residing of job within 72 hours on the receipt of this letter,” the letter acknowledged.
Nonetheless, the inquire caused alarm the declare, as other folks were alleging it was preparatory to dethronement of the mighty monarchs.
Nonetheless Fayemi clarified it without lengthen, asserting the letter was “merely an administrative topic which is neither contentious nor confrontational. It is a ways and not using a doubt no longer a ploy or procedure to come by away any oba from build of residing of job.”
The governor, in a bid by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, acknowledged, “As public officers, our broken-down rulers act because the scream hyperlink between authorities and their domains; they appreciate expected obligations and functions, and as an administrative head, Mr Governor have to composed be responsive to causes why such obligations usually are no longer being applied.
“Any hearsay claiming that Governor Fayemi is planning to dethrone any Oba in Ekiti Scream is a deliberate and malicious misrepresentation of the factual declare. It is a ways clearly an strive from opposition to originate confusion between the Ekiti Scream Govt and the accurate and law abiding other folks of Ekiti Scream.
“The Bureau briefed the Governor on the prolonged absence of some participants at the Scream’s Light Council meetings as smartly as broken-down council meetings at the native authorities stage. Mr Governor directed that the Bureau have to composed write the affected broken-down rulers to rep out causes for their absence. The formal nature of the letter is what is being misconstrued to be a inquire.”
One of the most important simplest ways it was resolved
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Adeyemi, in his intervention letter to Fayemi, acknowledged “To some races, nothing exterior the mundane is connected to their broken-down institution whereas, that of Yoruba is beyond the mundane as it’s a ways additionally ancestral and spiritual.”
Oba Adeyemi, who acknowledged, “The Yoruba Oba is the representative of the ancestors, the true owner of the land or ground,” therefore the necessity to treat the institution of obaship with dignity, urged the governor on the going through of the problem.
The letter caused Fayemi to pay a seek recommendation from to the Alaafin to level to his hang facet in the disaster.
For his intervention, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, visited Fayemi the governor and the aggrieved obas in the declare.
The Ooni, on arrival, on Monday had a transient assembly with the affected 11 Pelupelu Obas at the Palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, sooner than main them to the Governor’s Field of job the build they later met with Fayemi and Oba Alabi.
Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke after the meetings, acknowledged, “We are here to resolve any concern that presumably could possibly maybe possibly snowball to something else. What’s wanted is dialog breakdown and we now appreciate in reality closed that gap.”
The monarch added, “We are here for a particular cause. To the glory of God, we don’t appreciate any concern again, all the pieces is settled. It is a ways authorized, there could possibly maybe well also very smartly be tiny variations here and there, but it’s a ways something all the procedure throughout the family of the Oduduwa clan and to the glory of God, it has been resolved.
“The governor is here, we’re in the Governor’s Field of job, all the Alademerindinlogun, the Pelupelu obas, the principle founding kings of Ekiti and to a sexy extent, we now appreciate resolved. They’re the fathers to the governor and it has been resolved.
“There usually are no longer any disorders this ability that of we now appreciate a in actuality amiable son of the Yoruba those that’s the governor of the declare take care of the Yoruba will command ‘bibiiire o perceive fowo ra’. All the pieces has been resolved. To the glory of God, there is mutual admire between the oldsters in authorities and the broken-down rulers.”
The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe, acknowledged, “There’s no longer this kind of thing as a royal rumbling as such, accurate a misunderstanding all the procedure throughout the family. You heard it all from Kabiyesi Ooni. The crucial components will be labored out later. For now, there is peace in the declare. We (appreciate) agreed that we’d work together.”
Also speaking, the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole, who acknowledged the court docket case instituted by the broken-down rulers had been suspended in the spirit of resolving the disaster, acknowledged, “Litigation has to be suspended now.
“ that we, the Pelupelu obas, had been clamouring for the suspension of that court docket case so as that we can resolve the concern. There was dialog gap, absolute self belief, (but) the dialog gap has been closed this present day. The court docket case is suspended.”
The Alawe, Oba Alabi, expressed gratitude Fayemi;  Ooni of Ife and all others who contributed to the return of peace to the broken-down council and certainly the declare.
He additionally lauded Yoruba elders led by Prof Banji Akintoye, the Ekiti Council of Elders, the Minister of Alternate, Niyi Adebayo, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), spiritual leaders, the media and participants of the public for their sure contribution towards the resolution.
The council chairman acknowledged Ooni’s “immeasurable system of mediation, the utilization of ‘broken-down brilliance and native sagacity’ to bring the brother Obas together will scoot down in history as unparalleled and unparalleled in battle management and resolution (of disaster) among monarchs in Yorubaland.”
Ekiti Council of Elders expressed joy that the rift between the obas and the declare governors had been resolved finally.
President of the Council, Prof Oluwasanmi, acknowledged, “I’m overjoyed that, as a minimum, it has been settled. That’s what the elders are for and we’re overjoyed about it. With out a doubt, I want them to switch beyond suspension of the case in court docket, if there is precise settlement, they want to composed withdraw it.”
He praised the governor for visiting the  Alaafin and additionally expressed happiness for the presence of the Ooni in the declare.
Meanwhile, the oldsters of the declare and the public are eagerly expecting the crucial components of the resolutions reached at the assembly. Except that is launched to the public and favorite by the events involved, it’d also be subtle to insist a everlasting resolution had been found out to the royal rumble that nearly about grew to change into the Obas against their governor.
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