Adebayo Adenrele
The Ekiti State Government, has ordered immediate stoppage of the monthly salary of a traditional chief in Iworo Quarters, Omuo Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area of the State, Chief Sunday Faluyi, for allegedly spearheading a rebellion against the installation of a new Aro chieftaincy title in the community.
The deputy governor of the state, Chief Monisade Afuye, stressed the need for chieftaincy title holders to be circumspect of their actions and realise that they should be peacemakers, saying Governor Biodun Oyebanji is a promoter of peace and won’t allow anyone to destabilize any community under his watch.
Afuye gave the punitive order during a troubleshooting parley, on Tuesday, while interfacing with the delegation from the community.
The directive was handed down, following government’s mediation on a protest letter, written by one Abel Oluwasogo of Ayauna family of Iworo Quarters, alleging Olumuo of Omuo Ekiti, Oba Noah Omonigbehin of preventing the family from assuming the position among the royal dynasties that were entitled to occupy the coveted seat.
Speaking further on the petition, Olorunsogo averred that there was a Court’s judgement of 1999 that ordered that only three families should have exclusive rights to the royal seat in succession order, contrary to four being paraded by Olomuo-in-Council.
In her resolution, contained in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, Mrs Afuye, resolved the case against the petitioner and directed Oba Omonigbehin to begin the process for the installation of a new Aro from Ayaro dynasty of Iworo Quarters.
The Deputy Governor advised Olomuo should stringently stick to the rotation that had been in existence for long that favoured Ayaro dynasty for the title in the interest of posterity and peace.
Slamming the punishment on Chief Faluyi, Mrs Afuye, said the punitive action was taken to serve as a deterrent to some chiefs, who were fanatically fond of dividing the throne against their monarchs.
“It sounds so bad that a chief that was supposed to be a peace maker was the one spearheading rebellion over the installation of a new Aro by defying the oder of the Olomuo that Ayaro should be allowed to install the new Aro of Iworo Quarters. This habit was unbecoming of his status.
“Henceforth, the salary of Chief Sunday Faluyi should be stopped pending the time he will agree with Olomuo for full settlement of this case and the Council must comply with this directive”.
Rationalizing his position on where the new Aro chieftaincy title should emanate, the Deputy Governor, said: “The four families that constitute Iworo Quarters, according to documents sat in 1999 and resolved that the position of Aro should be rotated in the order of Ayaro, Ayauna, Ayagbolu and Ayaasun.
“Records also showed that the last occupant of the seat was from Ayaasun, so it has to return to Ayaro. Olomuo should go ahead and pick the next occupant of the royal seat from that family”, she ordered.
Rejecting the claim that he allegedly favoured a particular dynasty in the royal duel, Oba Omonigbehin, said he had been reigning in the community since 1991 and that the modality he met on ground was that the position should be rotated.
The monarch stated further that it was the family that sat and drew the succession order in 1999 and gave it to him for execution, and not that he was interested in any candidate.
“I don’t have anything against anybody, but what I want is that the truth must be told. Eight members of the family sat and drew the succession plan and gave it to me in 1999 for approval. All the four families signed the documents. The records are there.
“Going by that records, there are four royal families that are entitled to Aro chieftaincy seat and it is the turn of Ayaro to install the new one going by that order.
“I am particularly happy with the position canvassed by the State government on this issue. It has substantiated the truth we have been canvassing. This further shows that the government of Biodun Oyebanji stands for truth”.