‘He wasn’t the rightful heir’ — Ekiti community begs Oyebanji to depose monarch

The residents of Odo-Ora-Ekiti in Isokan Local Community Development Area (LCDA) of Ekiti have asked Biodun Oyebanji, governor of the state, to dethrone their traditional ruler, Oba Akinola Adeyemo.    

The indigenes made the appeal on Monday during a peace meeting of the community leaders with the royal families and other stakeholders.

Olajide Ajewole, a high chief and spokesperson of the community, said Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of the state, imposed Adeyemo as the Obalemo of Odo-Ora-Ekiti in 2017. 

Ajewole said Adeyemo was not the rightful heir to the throne at the time he was installed.

He added that the monarch has not performed the mandatory traditional rites laid down by the custom of the land.

“The father of the embattled traditional ruler had ruled between 1975 and 1988 and the mantle went to the second ruling family, which was Ogidilusu lineage, where the Owoniya family ruled for a few years before the demise of the traditional ruler in 2014,” NAN quoted Ajewole as saying. 

“The royal mantle currently falls on Fatimehin’s lineage, but the next families that were eligible to the throne were ‎both Adewoye and Idowu’s families and not the Adeyemo family.”

The high chief said the monarch was not the next in line to the throne as politics was played during the selection period. 

Ajewole asked the governor to sack the monarch for peace and development to return to the town. 

”Currently, in Odo-Ora-Ekiti, as things are, we do not have a recognised traditional ruler. He was not the next in line to the throne, but politics was played then, and for the past seven years, our community has not witnessed any meaningful development.

”It is on this note that the kingmakers, elites, women and youths of the community are appealing to our Governor to remove him from the throne to restore peace and development to Odo-Ora-Ekiti.”

While speaking, Dipo Olofintila, the representative of the elite group of the town, condemned the imposition of the monarch by the former governor.  

Olofintila said Adeyemo was never chosen by the “oracle” and the people as their king. 

While speaking on behalf of the women in the community,  Ojiro Faniyi, the Olori Omo-Owa, said the purported installation of Oba Adeyemo has caused a setback to the development of the town.

”We are appealing to our governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji to remove him as Obalemo of Odo-Ora-Ekiti,” she said.