Adebayo Adenrele
The Ekiti State Government , has barred the Odofin of Afao quarters, Ikere Ekiti, in Ikere Local Government Area, Chief Rufus Olayinka from wearing a royal crown.
The government said it was a flagrant violation of the Ekiti State Chief Law for Chief Olayinka to be adorning himself in royal regalia, when the autonomy being agitated for has not been granted by Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration.
Presiding over the matter, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye, contended that it was an aberration for Odofin to have worn a crown or change his title to Oloja Afao when the government has not acceded to his request for a full autonomy.
Afuye, in a statement by her Media Assistant, Victor Ogunje, 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.
In her words, “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”.
The Deputy Governor also mandated Odofin to be attending any meeting convened by Oba Adu, even if it is once in a month.
NEWSTODAYNG recalled that Oba Adu, had written a petition to the state government, alleging that Odofin was disrespecting his stool and acting in a manner that denigrates his position as the prescribed authority in the town.
The monarch in the petition accused the embattled Chief of parading himself as Oloja Afao without being granted autonomy, which was against the Ekiti State Chief Law.
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 monarch even without his knowledge and that of the state government.
Speaking on behalf of the estranged Chief, the spokespersons of Afao community, Hon. Tokunbo Omotayo and Pastor Rufus Akeredolu, said though the community was making agitations over autonomy, saying this would not coerce them to disrespect Ogoga, the paramount ruler of the kingdom.
“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”.
