Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti

Right now in Ekiti State, things have fallen apart between the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and the hitherto supportive 16-member class of prominent monarchs in the state. 

Leading monarchs in Ekiti are at loggerheads with the governor over the latter’s appointment of the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi as chairman of the state Council of Obas. They insist that the governor erred, claiming that the Alawe does not belong to the class of Obas that could be chairman of their council.

The first-class Obas, who were initially 16, are traditionally called ‘Pelupelu Obas or the Alademerindinlogun,’ which means the 16 kings with crowns. Members of the group are seen as the leading monarchs in Ekiti State.

The superiority of the 16 monarchs, it was gathered, has been on since the end of the Kiriji War in the 19th century. Among the original 16, it was gathered, were the Deji of Akure and Owa Olobo of Obo Ayegunle Ekiti. When Akure fully aligned with Ondo State and Obo became a part of Kwara State, there were some adjustments in the composition of the Pelupelu. Thus, some other monarchs were brought in as part of the first-class kings in Ekiti. Thus, the Elemure of Emure, Attah of Ayede and Olomuo of Omuo were screened by the Pelupelu Obas and brought into their fold.

This piece of history was cited by the Ajero of Ijero, Oba Joseph Adewole, as parts of the documents attached to the originating summons filed by the monarchs and deposed to by the Ajero on behalf of other Obas. They are currently suing Governor Fayemi for installing an Oba who is not among the Pelupelu as chairman of the state Council of Obas..

According to the documents, the Pelupelu Obas include the Ajero of Ijero, Alara of Aramoko, Ewi of Ado,  Ogoga of Ikere, Olomuo of Omuo, Attah of Ayede, Oloye of Oye, Arinjale of Ise, Ologotun of Ogotun, Onitaji of Itaji, Elemure of Emure, Alaaye of Efon, Owa Ooye of Okemesi, Olojudo of Ido Faboro, Elekole of Ikole and Onisan of Isan.

But since 1999, it seems each successive government in Ekiti has politicised the traditional institution by allegedly promoting their favoured monarch without taking into consideration the traditions and the customary law.

A case in point is a letter purportedly signed by a Special Adviser to Governor Kayode Fayemi, Chief Aderemi Ajayi on September 17, 2014, which upgraded four monarchs. The beneficiaries of such promotions have thus increased the number of the Pelupelu Obas to 22.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law 3 of 2000 enacted under the Adeniyi Adebayo administration and the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers Committee Resolution of June 19, 2001 indicated that there were 31 Grade ‘A’ Obas but only 16 of them are Pelupelu. Part of the resolutions at that time was that the chieftaincy edict allowed only the 16 Pelupelu Obas to rotate the traditional council chairmanship at the state level and at the local government level.

Therefore, the chairmanship of the Obas’ Council has, before now, rotated among the 16 monarchs from the three geopolitical zones of the state. This explains why the Ologotun, who is from the South senatorial district, handed over in 2017 to Oloye Of Oye Ekiti from the northern senatorial district. The chairman’s tenure is usually two years.

By the foregoing rotation, the central senatorial district ought to produce the next Chairman. But with Fayemi’s appointment of Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, the Central Senatorial district appears to have been robbed of the seat. The Ologotun, who held the position before the immediate past chairman, is from the same local government with the Alawe.

But even in spite of the constant political interventions, no governor ever went outside the fold of the original 16 Pelupelu Obas in appointing chairman of the traditional rulers’ council since the old Ondo State.

This explains the shock and controversy that greeted the appointment of the Alawe among the monarchs in the state.

The 16 most prominent monarchs described the action taken by Fayemi as a flagrant violation of the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Laws.

Although, no reason has yet been given for the governor’s action, it was learnt that the new chairman was loyal to Fayemi even at the risk of political persecution from the immediate past governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, while the other Obas, especially the Pelupelu monarchs, were allegedly in support of the former governor.

“It was an open secret that the monarchs, especially the prominent ones, were fully in support of Ayodele Fayose prior to the governorship election in 2018. Therefore, given the sensitive nature of the position, the governor felt the position should go to a trusted ally,” a political analyst, who sought anonymity, noted.

Displeased with the governor’s choice, the 16 Obas have headed to the court. Joined in the suit with number HAD/76/2019 are Governor Kayode Fayemi, Attorney General of Ekiti State, Wale Fapohunda and the Alawe, Oba Adebanji Alabi.

An originating summon filed by Dr. B.A.M. Ajibade((SAN) on August 7, 2019 and  deposed to by Ajero of Ajero, Oba Joseph Adewole, on behalf of other 15 Obas, sought an interlocutory injunction restraining Fayemi from swearing in Alawe as the Chairman of the  Council.

The Obas are seeking the following declarations from the court.

That Fayemi is not empowered under the Council of Traditional Rulers Law, Cap 15, Laws of Ekiti State 2012, to appoint the chairman of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers on a bi- annual rotational basis from among only the class of Obas constituted as Alademerindinlogun/Pelupelu Obas of Ekiti State; that the claimants are the only valid authentic Obas or traditional rulers under the classification of Alademerindinlogun qualified to be so appointed as chairman; A declaration that the third respondent cannot be appointed as Chairman of the council in consonance with the Ekiti State Traditional Council Law.

The 16 Obas also want “a declaration that the appointment of the third defendant by the first was a flagrant violation of the law, unlawful, null and void, unjustifiable, illegal and unsustainable; an order nullifying the appointment of the third defendant as the chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers; an order of perpetual injunction restraining the third defendant as chairman of the traditional council and other relevant orders as deemed fit by the court.”

The Obas argued that by composition, the Council of Ekiti State Traditional Rulers has permanent and rotational members.

“The statute stipulated that the permanent and rotational members shall be appointed by the governor from among the recognised traditional rulers in Ekiti State.

“There shall be a chairman for the council who shall be appointed by the Governor on bi -annual rotation among the Pelupelu Obas in the state.”

In a letter earlier written to the Governor on August 2 and signed by 15 Pelupelu Obas with the exception of Oore of Otun, Oba Adedapo Popoola, who has been outside the country, the monarchs urged Fayemi to reverse the action. They said a court had earlier struck out a suit filed by five monarchs who were promoted to Pelupelu and seeking recognition of that status by mere political arrangement.

The Obas said the promotion of Alawe, Olosi, Olojudo (Ido Ile), Arajaka and Oluyin to that Pelupelu rank by government was an erosion of the tradition, saying all the appointments were done in violation of the tradition and existing laws.

They insisted on their opposition to Alawe’s appointment and threatened not to attend the inauguration of any meeting of the council where he presides.

“We respectfully state that we would be creating a bad precedent to accept to sit under the chairmanship of Alawe, as it would amount to a disregard for the tradition on earth and a sin against our forefathers,” they said.

The contention of the Pelupelu Obas was that traditional rulers can only be elevated as Pelupelu Obas through the Council of Obas after thorough screening and strict consideration for the antecedents and historical and cultural backgrounds of that kingdom. They recalled that such was the process followed in the case of Olomuo, Attah and Elemure.

“Before the Kiriji war, all the pioneer 16 Obas had fledging and thriving kingdoms, with Ijero, Ado, and Ikole leading in terms of structures and political administration,” the Obas noted.

But Fayemi is unperturbed by the threats of the monarchs. Recently, at the Governor’s Office in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, the governor called the bluff of the aggrieved monarchs and inaugurated the Alawe as the new Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers. But quite expectedly, the aggrieved monarchs did not attend the inauguration. The development no doubt signalled a challenging time for the Alawe. But he seems undisturbed by the development.

While reacting to the issue, the Alawe, Oba Adebanjo said the development was a minor misunderstanding among the royal fathers. He argued that the Pelupelu Obas are 22 as against the 16 being bandied by some of the Obas.

His words: “The 22 officially designated Pelupelu Obas in the state are in peace talks to resolve the differences and there is no cause for alarm. As the new chairman, I shall be fair to everyone.

“We are not running a labour union. We cannot afford any form of antagonism and bickering, as we are not in competition with the governor. We are an advisory body in line with the law that established this council. We assure Mr Governor of our unalloyed loyalty to be able to move Ekiti forward,” he said.