The Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi, has warned the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, against meddling in the internal crisis of Obas in Ekiti State.
The Alawe, in a letter written to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, described the letter written by the Alaafin to Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on the Ekiti obaship crisis as not only unwarranted, but least expected.
In the letter, entitled: “Request To Stop Undue Interference of His Majesty Oba Lamidi Adeyemi In The Internal Affairs of Ekiti Obas,” Oba Alabi urged Governor Makinde to prevail on Oba Adeyemi to stop his alleged unsolicited intervention.
The letter reads in full:
His Excellency,
Engr. Seyi Makinde,
The Governor of Oyo State,
Governor’s Office,
Ibadan.
REQUEST TO STOP UNDUE INTERFERENCE OF HIS MAJESTY, OBA LAMIDI ADEYEMI IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF EKITI OBAS.
The attention of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has been drawn to an undue interference of His Majesty Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, The Alaafin of Oyo in the internal affairs of Ekiti Obas through a letter written to Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, dated 12th March 2020 and well circulated in the social media the following day with respect to the administration of chieftancy matters in Ekiti State. This is to say the least unbecoming of one of your monarchs in Oyo State. Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers takes strong exception to the whole content of Alaafin’s letter which is absolutely unwarranted as Alaafin cannot superintend over the monarchy in Ekiti State. Ekiti was never and can never be part of Oyo empire. It is on this note that Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers is respectfully requesting your Excellency to stop the Alaafin from his meddlesomeness in the internal affairs of Ekiti Obas.
(2) The letter of Oba Adeyemi contained a lot of misrepresentation of facts and inaccurate accounts of events between the State Government and the Traditional Institution in Ekiti State which CANNOT be in consultation with, and concurrence of the highly revered and venerable Traditional Rulers mentioned in the letter but who did not sign same.
(3) It is a matter of fact and law that Grading, Classification and Composition of Council of Obas in Ekiti State and perhaps anywhere in Nigeria is governed by Law through Government Gazettes even from the Colonial era. From his letter, Alaafin is unable to define what qualifies an Oba to be a PeluPelu Oba. He is not aware of the fact that among the first group of Obas that formed the Association in 1900 were Deji of Akure (Ondo State) and Owalobo of Obo Ayegunle (Kwara State) who have since left the Association. He is also not aware of the fact that some Obas joined the Group in 1909 – Atta Ayede, 1929 (Elemure), 1947 (Alawe, Arajaka, Olujido Ido Ile and Olosi) (Minutes of the Pelupelu meetings for those periods are available) In 1971 Olomuo was admitted to the Pelupelu status by the then Governor of Western State, the Late Gen Adeyinka Adebayo.
(4) It should be noted that, seventeen (17) Obas are presently laying claim to PeluPelu Obaship in Ekiti State. And by Government Gazette of October 2018, Government recognized twenty two (22) Obas as PeluPelu in Ekiti and no one raised an eyebrow when Governor Ayo Fayose added the 22nd member, the Oluyin of Iyin – Ekiti in August, 2018. What is therefore sacrosanct about the number of pelupelu Obas which Alaafin put at sixteen.
(5) We therefore say with all sense of authority and responsibility that Alaafin goofed to say that from time immemorial, Obaship Leadership had been within the sixteen (16) Obas who he could neither name nor mention. He only pretends not to know that the number of Pelupelu Obas has never be static
(6) Unfortunately and appallingly, Alaafin stated that his source of information was by “Hearsay” Yet he refused to verify his erroneous fact before falsely accusing Governor Fayemi of neglect. He refused to say those he considers as subordinate Obas. Subordinate to who?
(7) Alaafin is no doubt an Oba who enjoys stirring controversies and crisis where there are none. He is without doubt a meddlesome interloper who is bent on exporting the crisis he engineered in old Oyo State during which the Traditional Council was unable to hold a single meeting as a result of leadership tussle between him and the OONI of Ife until OSUN was carved out of old Oyo State.
(8) Worse still and under him, the Oyo State Council of Traditional Rulers has not held a meeting once in four (4) years under his Chairmanship as a result of his inability to foster peace, unity and cohesion among the Obas. How does he give what he does not have. Ekiti Monarchs are not Alaafin’s AJELES hence his current voyage into an internal affairs of Ekiti Obas is highly unwarranted.
(9) Ekiti State Council of obas is highly offended by the vituperation poured on our Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi through Alaafin’s unsolicited intervention in a purely domestic affairs of our Council. Alaafin has no moral right nor justification to interfere in the matter of Traditional Rulers administration in Ekiti State.
(10) The Traditional Council of Obas in Ekiti State is therefore passionately appealing to His Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to call Alaafin to order and to desist forthwith from meddling in the internal affairs of Ekiti Obas, especially as the matter is pending before a Court of competent jurisdiction. Moreover, the little disagreement amongst Ekiti Obas has not affected the functionality of our Traditional Council. We hold our meetings statutorily unlike the Traditional Council under Alaafin that has long been grounded.
(11) It is pertinent to put on record that, Governor Kayode Fayemi met the present classification of Obas on ground in Ekiti State and has not added one Oba to the class of PeluPelu Obas. The various classifications had been done by previous Administrations through the 1947 Gazette, 1948 Gazette, 1959 Gazette, 2004 Gazette and 2018 Gazette. The present Chairman of Ekiti Traditional Council is listed and classified among the PeluPelu Obas in the Gazette.
(12) It is not out of place if in a Council of over Seventy (70) members, only eleven
(11) Obas are aggrieved, and have gone to Court. More so that the aggrieved Obas have informed the Court that they are in an “advance stage” of settlement out of Court even though unknown to Government and their Chairman. Why Should Alaafin judge a case without seeking the views of the other party. why did Alaafin not exercise restraint and caution before writing a letter based on misinformation.
The letter of Alaafin to Governor Fayemi is clearly subjudice to the matter in court.
(13) We say with all sense of authority and responsibility that Alaafin’s letter is borne out of ignorance. Let him remove the log in his eyes before seeking to remove the speck from others.
(14) Finally, the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has therefore advised our Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi NOT to dignify Alaafin’s letter with any response because it is clearly ill-motivated and in bad faith.
(15) Please accept the assurances of the Highest regards of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers.
In his earlier letter, Oba Adeyemi had warned Fayemi against treating the traditional institution in Yorubaland with levity.
Alaafin said unlike in some tribes, where there was nothing attached to their traditional institutions, the Yoruba traditional institution was “ancestral and spiritual.”
The monarch stated this in a letter to the state governor dated March 12, 2020, following a query issued by Fayemi to some prominent traditional rulers in the state over alleged insubordination.
Fayemi, in the query, issued individually to the affected traditional rulers by the Bureau on Chieftaincy Affairs dated March 11, gave the monarchs 72 hours within which to reply.
The query, which was entitled: “Re: Absence from State Functions and Council of Traditional Rulers’ Monthly Meetings,” was signed by A.O. Adeoye on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau.
However, in a letter reacting to the query, the Alaafin said he wrote on behalf of other prominent traditional rulers in Yorubaland, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona; and Alake of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo Adedotun.
The letter read in part: “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 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.”