By Gbenga Ojikutu
The Ekiti State Government, has resolved the escalating chieftaincy brawl in Odo Ayedun Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of the State, as government directed the town’s traditional head, Oba Solomon Ajibade and his backers to halt alleged arbitrary arrests of Chiefs and withholding of their salaries.
The government’s trouble- shooting intervention, was sequel to a petition written by some chiefs, led by Obajemu of Odo Ayedun Ekiti, Chief Ayoposi Ayoola, against Oba Ajibade and the Ajagunna of Ayedun, Chief Biodun Ogunyebi.
The accusations raised by the petitioners against the defendants are : intimidation and harassment by way of reckless arrests and detention of subjects, stoppage of stipends to some Chiefs and neglect of traditional festivals in Odo Ayedun Ekiti.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the directive on Thursday, while presiding over the petition written by the aggrieved traditional Chiefs.
Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant (Media), Victor Ogunje, urged the monarch to deploy every means to forge unity among his subjects to foster peace in line with the advocacy of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration.
To quell the festering upheavals and disunity in Odo Ayedun, Mrs Afuye, urged the monarch to stop those instigating arbitrary arrests of subjects, initiate immediate payment of stipends to all alienated Chiefs and show interest in all traditional festivals as the leader of all religions in the town.
The Deputy Governor, who asked the monarch to stop the alleged diversion of stipends meant for the Chiefs to palace maintenance, appealed to the angry Chiefs to return and reunite with the monarch to move the town forward in all spheres.
“No town can witness peace when some people are being arrested anyhow. Let the Kabiyesi begin a process of reconciliation with all his Chiefs. You are a traditional ruler, you should take interest in all traditional festivals, that is the essence of your being a monarch.
“Let me also emphasize this, you can’t use the stipends for Chiefs for any other purpose even if they are not performing their traditional roles. Try and settle all these matters for your reign to enjoy peace. When you are making these efforts, the angry Chiefs too must be receptive to your reconciliation moves”, Mrs Afuye stated.
Speaking during the parley, the petitioner, Chief Ayoola, lamented how his position was being allegedly undermined by the monarch, using his influence as the prescribed authority of the town.
Chief Ayoola also accused the monarch of arbitrarily installing traditional chiefs without resorting to laid down traditions and customs, by way of circumventing quarters Chiefs perceived as “non-conformists” .
Dispelling the allegations, the defendants, the duo of Oba Ajibade and Chief Biodun Ogunyebi, commended the government for the peace initiative,
The traditional ruler added that at no time did he order the arrest of anyone by security agencies on trump up charges as being peddled by the petitioner. .
Specifically, Oba Ajibade, maintained that he hasn’t stopped traditional festivals in the kingdom, saying he has always been fair and maintain strong affinity with Christians, Muslims and traditionalists in the town.
“There was nowhere where I instructed anybody to arrest any of my subjects. Concerning the monthly stipends to Chiefs, those not paid were chiefs who refused to perform traditional roles and in the running of the town”.
