Adebayo Adenrele
The Odimulele ruling house of Araromi-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, has faulted the approval of Prince Adebomi Babalola as the Alararomi of Araromi-Ekiti.
Odimulele ruling House, represented by Afolayan Ademola and Babalola Adeniji, at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, expressed their displeasure with the action of state government, which they described as a recipe for crisis in the community.
Recall that the state executive council at its meeting on Tuesday, had confirmed the election of Prince Babalola as the Alararomi of Araromi-Ekiti.
The Odimulele ruling family had previously protested Babalola’s nomination in April 2024, on the ground that a certificate forgery case filed against him was still pending at the Federal High Courts of Akure, Ondo state and Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, respectively.
They alleged that the king-making process that produced Babalola was fraudulent and urged the Governor Biodun Oyebanji to reverse his approval to ensure peaceful co-existence in the town.
According to them , “We have conducted our investigation and found that he did not attend the University of Ibadan as claimed, and if he ever attended that university, he did not attain that certificate.
“He worked at the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) as a physiotherapist with a forged certificate. When the authority of the institution found out that he was parading a questionable certificate, he went into hiding only to resurface later.
“We don’t want a king that the police will be pursuing for the forgery of an NYSC certificate.
“The certificate forgery case filed against him is still pending in Federal High Court in Akure. If the government rejects forged certificates in the civil service, why impose such a person as our oba forever?
“We appeal to the government of Ekiti State, through His Excellency, Biodun Oyebanji, to reverse this decision and follow due process.
“It’s disheartening to hear that the Ekiti State Government can assent to the enthronement of a certificate forger as the king of our town.
“We have begged Governor Biodun Oyebanji not to turn our town into a land of chaos. He should reconsider this action and follow due process according to chieftaincy law”.