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Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Sunday met with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, at a private residence of the monarch in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, over the royal rumble in Ekiti.
Sources at the meeting said Fayemi paid the visit to Alaafin based on the letter, which the monarch wrote to him on behalf of other six royal fathers in Yorubaland.
Oba Adeyemi was said to have written the letter to Fayemi some days ago, on the need for the governor to thread with caution on the matter of traditional institution in Ekiti State, following the query, which Ekiti State Government issued to 16 kings in the state individually for not attending meetings of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers for some time.
Alaafin said the letter was written on behalf of leading traditional rulers in Yorubaland, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo Adedotun.
The Chief Press Secretary to Dr. Fayemi, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, in a telephone interview with journalists, confirmed that the meeting was held, saying: “It was just a visit. It’s a follow-up on the letter written to the governor by the Alaafin. You will recall that the Kabiyesi wrote the governor on the traditional institution in Ekiti State.
“The governor, being a man of culture and respectable Yorubaman, went to explain the issue to the king. The Oba raised some fundamental issues in the letter and the governor went there to shed light on what is going on. It was an exchange of views between a father and a son. It was a fruitful discussion.”
The media aide to Alaafin, Mr. Bode Durojaiye, told Daily Sun that the meeting was held at a private residence of Alaafin in Ibadan, adding that he was not in the entourage of the first-class monarch to Ibadan for the meeting. He said he would not comment on the outcome of the meeting, until he got details, asking for time to get necessary information on the meeting.
Besides, the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers under the chairmanship of Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, was said to have written a letter to Governor Seyi Makinde to stop Oba Adeyemi from undue interference in the internal affairs of Ekiti monarchs.
Alaafin had said in the letter to Fayemi, dated March 12, 2020, that “since the case is still in court, we will not want to comment further on it as law-abiding citizens. I, however, would have expected that Your Excellency waits till the end of the court process before acting on the matter.
“It is in this note that I, along with my fellow traditional rulers across Yorubaland feel very sad that Your Excellency issued a query to the 16 Ekiti crowned, respected traditional rulers of the high esteem in Yorubaland for not bowing their heads to their subordinate by not attending the council meeting under their subordinate. That exercise and without mincing words is to say the least subjudice.
“To some races, nothing outside the mundane is attached to their traditional institution. Whereas, that of Yoruba is beyond the mundane as it is also ancestral and spiritual. The Yoruba oba is the representative of the ancestors, the real owner of the land or ground.
“It is on this basis that we will advise against any attempt to treat traditional institution in Yorubaland with levity and to avoid any attempt of importing any subculture of traditional degradation into Yorubaland.
“It is ironic that while the predecessors in office and ancestors of these 16 crowned obas and their subjects displayed uncommon patriotism, courage and commitment to confront the intimidating military prowess of Ibadan Army for 16 years (1870-1886), Your Excellency as one of the beneficiaries of the legacy bequeathed by these Kings of Yoruba history is now embarking on an exercise that will rubbish the contributions of your ancestors.”
