Protest Rocks Ekiti over Establishment of FCE in Ilawe

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

Movements and commercial activities were paralysed yesterday in Omuo Ekiti for several hours by protesters who were protesting alleged relocation of the Federal College of Education meant for Omuo Ekiti to Ilawe Ekiti.

The bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Education Omuo Ekiti was sponsored by the Senator representing Ekiti South, Senator Biodun Olujimi and was passed by both chambers of the 9th National Assembly. 

The protesters including youths, women and traditional rulers from Omuo Ekiti, the headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government Area, trooped to the streets as early as 9 am, to protest alleged injustice meted to them by relocating the FCE meant for the town to another community.

Some of the placards displayed by the protesters read: “On Omuo FCE we stand! No more, No less! This injustice must be redressed. Return our FCE back to us. Don’t rob Peter to pay Paul. FCE belong to Omuo Ekiti.”

Travellers going to Abuja and those passing through the major highway in the town to Lagos, Ado Ekiti and neighboring Ondo State, had a herculean time as the roads were barricaded.

Efforts by the Nigerian Police, the Directorate of State Service and the other security agencies drafted to maintain law and order to prevail on the angry protesters to allow free flow of traffic, were rebuffed.

Before the protest took off, Olomuo of Omuo Kingdom, Oba Noah Omonigbehin (Okinbaloye II) had directed that all markets, shops and other businesses must not open as a mark of protests for the alleged injustice brought on the community.

Omonigbehin said he was a participant at the public hearings by the Senate leading to the establishment of the school in both 8th and 9th session.

“We presented memo to the august legislative assembly. We wonder how someone who has not asked for a thing would be given. I urge president Tinubu to correct this injustice and return the institution to Omuo Ekiti.”

Addressing the protesters, a leader in the community, Chief Segun Akanle appealed to Tinubu and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Abiodun Oyebanji to come to the rescue of Omuo Ekiti by returning the Federal College of Education back to the town.

Akanle described the citizens of the community as law abiding, noting that Omuo Ekiti have been working for the establishment of the FCE for over ten years.

He added that a bill establishing the institution have been passed by both the 8th and 9th National Assembly and only awaiting presidential assent.

“We have 12 communities in Ekiti East and there is no federal or state presence in any of them. A bill establishing a College of Education has been passed and waiting for president assent before Ilawe people went through the backdoor to alter the location of the school.

“Why would the government establish two federal institutions in Ilawe and leave the remaining parts of the constituency. This is not acceptable. We have confidence in Tinubu to do the needful by righting the wrong and return the Federal College of Education to Omuo Ekiti where it rightly belongs.”

Also reacting to the development, two prominent paramount rulers in Ekiti East Local Government condemned the alleged clandestine move to change the location of the school to Ilawe.