Ekiti bars traditional chief from wearing crown, changing title

Ekiti bars traditional chief from wearing crown, changing title

The Ekiti State Government has barred Chief Rufus Olayinka, a traditional title holder and Odofin of Afao quarters, Ikere-Ekiti, from wearing royal crown because his area has not been granted full autonomy.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, revealed this development on Friday.

She spoke when she presided over the matter in her office in Ado-Ekiti.

Afuye contended that it was an aberration for Odofin to have worn a crown or change his title to Oloja Afao when the government had not acceded to his request for a full autonomy.

She said that it was a flagrant violation of the Ekiti State Chief Law for Chief Olayinka to adorn himself in royal regalia when the autonomy being agitated for had not been granted by Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration.

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She said reprieve had, however, come for the embattled chief, as the government lifted the suspension slammed on him by the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Adejimi Adu, and members of his council for alleged insubordination and disrespect to the paramount ruler.

Afuye described as null and void the suspension of Odofin from Ogoga-in-Council, saying the process was inchoate since the letter to that effect was not made available to the state government.

The Deputy Governor said Oba Adu had written a petition to the state government alleging that Odofin was disrespecting his stool and acting in a manner that denigrated his position as the prescribed authority in the town.

The traditional ruler in the petition accused the embattled chief of parading himself as Oloja Afao without being granted autonomy, contrary to the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law.

Afuye said: “Our position is that, Odofin can’t be wearing a crown when his quarters, which is under Ikere-Ekiti, has not been granted full autonomy.

“Again, he can’t change his title from Odofin to Oloja Afao, this is utterly wrong and disrespectful. It is like jumping the gun.

“Henceforth, he should stop wearing a crown or bear any other title than Odofin.

“But concerning his suspension, we have no evidence before us to show that he was suspended because we have no letter to that effect. 

“So, this suspension can’t hold.”

Afuye also mandated Odofin to attend any meeting convened by Oba Adu, even if it was once in a month, in spite of his health challenges.

At the peace meeting, the Sapetu of Ikere-Ekiti, Chief Olufemi Babatola, who represented the Ogoga, submitted that  the matter could have been resolved earlier than now, if Odofin and Afao community had acceded to the initial government and security agencies’ trouble-shooting interventions.

Ogoga said it was stunning that the suspended Odofin could make himself a traditional ruler even without his knowledge and that of the state government.

Responding on behalf of the estranged chief, the spokespersons of Afao community, Tokunbo Omotayo and Rufus Akeredolu, said though the community was making agitations over autonomy, this would not coerce them to disrespect Ogoga, the paramount ruler of the kingdom.

They said the problem began when they started agitating for autonomy in Ikere-Ekiti, adding that their mission was to fast track development in that section of Ikere-Ekiti and not to divide the town or cause disaffection.

They said: “In our agitations for autonomy, we made it clear that it will be under the paramount ruler of Ogoga of Ikere if granted. 

“We wouldn’t have said this if we didn’t recognise Ogoga’s supremacy.

“We agree with all that the government had said and we will comply accordingly.”