Chieftaincy Tussle: Govt Approves Rotation of Traditional Title in Ekiti Community

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

To settle the festering crisis over chieftaincy tussle and prevent possible bloodshed, the Ekiti State Government has approved the rotation of Eesa chieftaincy title in Ijurin Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of the state.

The title, which is the second in hierarchy to the royal stool, according to the state government, is to be rotated between Eesa and Isolo clans based on the recommendations of the Ojurin-in-Council, chaired by Oba Adeyemi Afolabi Ajibola, the paramount ruler of the community.

Eesa family had a couple of months ago written a petition to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, accusing Oba Ajibola of allegedly planning to deprive them of the chieftaincy title, following the demise of the occupant of the seat, Mr. Lawrence Akinbode, who was from their clan.

The family accused the monarch and members of his council of planning to pick the successor from Isolo clan, which they described as antithetical to the history of the town that established the fact that only their family could occupy the Eesa chieftaincy stool.

While mediating in the matter on Tuesday, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, said that the monarch and other chiefs had been able to lay a rocky foundation, substantiating the fact that Isolo family was also entitled to the stool.

Afuye, according to a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Victor Ogunje, added that Oba Ajibola, the kingmakers and  the Intelligence Report of 1936 written about Ijurin Ekiti chieftaincy, corroborated the fact that Eesa chieftaincy title are rotated between the two clans.

She stressed that the accounts of history rendered by all the 15 clans that make up Ijurin Ekiti also supported the fact that the title was not an exclusive preserve of Eesa family.

Subsequently, the deputy governor directed the two families to sign the document tagged: “Memorandum of Understanding” that was prepared by Ojurin-in-Council to prepare a record for future reference that the future occupant of the seat will be picked from Isolo clan.

She said: “I also agree with the position canvassed  by Ojurin-in-Council that to douse the tension, the current vacancy will be filled by Eesa family with an understanding that the next one will go to Isolo because nobody should be deprived of his statutory rights.

“But the two families must sign this MoU and if any of them should fail, the community should pick the occupant of the seat from the family that complies with this directive in the interest of peace.

“What Governor Biodun Oyebanji has been preaching is love, peace and unity in all our towns and whoever wants to disrupt this will face the full weight of the law. So, all the parties must comply with this directive to entrench peace in your town.”

Afuye also directed Eesa family to tender apology to Oba Ajibola for alleged insults and threats to his person over the decision taken that the chieftaincy title be rotated.

Speaking during the parley, Oba Ajibola lamented how he was allegedly threatened and harassed by some youths from Eesa community, describing this as disrespect to traditional institution.

The monarch added that the decision taken that the title be rotated was based on available veracious historical antecedents articulated by his council from elderly people in the town and not based on enmity against Eesa clan as being touted by some people.

Oba Ajibola said: “My council had deliberated and taken a decision on this matter. The MoU indicating that the chieftaincy title is rotated between the two clans had been prepared. The two families must sign it, so that there won’t be rancour in the town in the future.

“History established that Isolo clan had produced three Eesa before the other family was considered. They cannot be denied also in the interest of unity and peace. But we have agreed that the current selection will be done in Eesa family that was our decision to pacify them.”

But the representative of Eesa family, Mr. Oke Akinbode, insisted at the parley that the family had been the sole occupant of the seat since 1917, when the first person took the shot from Eesa clan, describing the history the monarch alluded to as unfounded and baseless.

Akinbode, however, tendered apology to the monarch over alleged insults and threats to him over the chieftaincy matter, saying the family would take all the necessary actions to atone for their misdemeanour.