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The Ekiti State Government, on Wednesday, issued a 21-day ultimatum to kingmakers in Oke-Ako Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of the state to set machinery in motion and install a new monarch.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, issued the ultimatum while interacting with community members on their 25-year royal crisis.
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To ease the selection process, Mrs Afuye narrowed the emergence of a new Owa of Oke Ako to “Oke and Odo Aafin” extractions of the Aafin Ruling House. At the same time, the third arm, named “Afata”, was barred from participating because it had been producing the kings.
As part of the troubleshooting efforts, the deputy governor appealed to the Afata family members to withdraw the case they instituted at the Supreme Court, to facilitate a seamless selection process.
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Mrs Afuye stated that the rampaging and troubling kidnappings and killings in the Ipao-Oke-Ako-Irele axis would have been suppressed long before now, if the town had a substantive king who could rally his people against the kidnappers terrorising the area.
“We have no reason not to continue with the selection. No restraining order or a stay of execution order from any court can stop the government and kingmakers from continuing the selection process, so we must move forward.
“Let your town move forward. Many of you are not living there. Nobody will be happy with the way things are in Oke Ako. Let Oke Aafin and Odo Aafin go and produce the next king, Afata should stand down, because it has enjoyed the stool before.
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“We give you an ultimatum of 21 days to put your house in order and do what is necessary to save your town from underdevelopment,” she said.
The Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, Atibioke Ojo, disclosed that the government will officially communicate to the Ikole Local Government to order the Aafin Ruling House to select a new Owa.
“All the legitimate princes from the Aafin Ruling House, with the exemption of those from Afata lineage, should be allowed to participate in the selection. Nobody should be excluded, and this should be done in the presence of the council and security agencies to monitor the situation.
” From now, the government will pay special attention to Oke Ako issues”, Mr Ojo said.
READ ALSO: Ekiti, Ondo move to end violent boundary disputes among border communities
Commending the government for the action, an elder from the Aafin royal dynasty, Mohammed Obafemi, said the crisis stemmed from the Afata Ruling House’s insistence that they have the sole right to produce Owa of Oke Ako.
Mr Obafemi said that according to history, customs, and traditions, all the male children from Oke Idi Osan and Aafin Ruling Houses have legitimacy in the royal stool.
The head of kingmakers in the town and Ejemu of Oke Ako, Ola Olajide, said they had commenced the selection until a case instituted at the Supreme Court stalled the process.
Mr Olajide said four out of the six kingmakers are alive and are ready to take action to enthrone a monarch that will advance the development of the town in all spheres.
The Chairman of Ikole Local Government, Bayo Omojola, applauded the government for being truthful and open in handling the matter, assuring that his council would complement the efforts to ensure the success of the selection process.
The Regent of the community, Tinuade Adebayo, a princess, attended the meeting.
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