Elemobo Throne: Ekiti Govt Warns Troublemakers, orders selection of new monarch

Ekiti State Government has warned those fanning the ember of crisis in Araromi Obo Ekiti, Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government over the Elemobo Throne to desist or face the wrath of the law, calling on the kingmakers to begin the selection process for the installation of a new king.

Also, the government has given approval to Aramoko Ekiti chiefs for the installation of a female Regent in line with the chieftaincy declaration spearheaded by the immediate past Alara, Oba Olu Adegoke, and duly gazetted by the government that this step remains the first option among other steps to fill the vacant stool.

The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, spoke on Tuesday at a peace parley with the stakeholders of the two communities held in her office in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.

Addressing the stakeholders from Araromi Obo, Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the government would not hesitate to arrest anyone caught harassing or trying to stoke violence in the community over the installation.

She noted that the court had affirmed that the family of Roland Olowookere was not entitled to the throne of Elemobo of Araromi Obo Ekiti, saying that the judiciary also upheld the 1933 intelligence report, which pronounced the family of Elemobo as the only ruling House in Araromi-Obo Ekiti.

She explained that only the same court of law also has the power to do otherwise on the matter and warned that the government would not fold its arms and watch a group of people or individuals create fear or a security threat in society.

To fast-track action, the Deputy Governor, however, ordered the kingmakers in the community to begin the selection process in stringent compliance with the Ekiti State chiefs’ laws and Araromi-Obo chieftaincy declaration.

“Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration is committed to ensuring peace and tranquility across the communities. We will not, for any reason, impose anyone or a candidate as a Monarch in a Community where there is a vacant stool.

“Let me call on the ruling Houses in Communities where there were vacant stools to embrace peace and enthrone someone to bring about meaningful development. A community where no king would find it difficult to make their views known to the government since there was no formidable team that could fight their cause”.

While presiding over the logjam surrounding the Alara stool, which became vacant following the demise of Oba Olu Adegoke from Arakale Ruling House, Mrs Afuye said the 2023 Aramoko Chieftaincy Declaration, which approved the installation of a Female Regent as the first option, must be strictly adhered to, to avert unrest in the town.

Mrs Afuye maintained that the declaration, having been duly signed and gazetted by the State Government, has become enforceable and supersedes the practice where the second in command among the chiefs was being installed, saying only the court of law can quash the same.

“We don’t want any unrest or chieftaincy problem in Aramoko Ekiti over this regency. There is a chieftaincy declaration we have to follow, and this states that the installation of the first female child of the deceased Alara is the first option. If we can’t get this, then we will go to his family. If this option also fails, then, the second in command to Alara will be installed.

“The practice in Aramoko Ekiti before was that the second in command always took charge when the Oba died, but the recent declaration has changed this practice, and we have to abide by it. This is a matter of law, and it is not that the government was interested in imposing on anyone.

“So, the Alara-in-Council must write to the government and tell us the preferred candidate that will be installed to fill the vacancy with immediate effect”.