The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has presented the staff of office to the Olukere of Odo Oja, Ikere Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, after years of agitation by the community. The development caused jubilation in Ikere Ekiti, the headquarters of Ikere Local Government area of the state on Friday.
Fayemi also granted the community autonomy, following the White Paper on the Chieftaincy Review Commission led by Justice Babajide Aladejana, which found merit in the application of the Odo Oja community of Ikere Ekiti as an autonomous town.
While presenting the staff of office to the newly recognised monarch, the governor, represented by his deputy, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, described the ceremony as the beginning of peace, prosperity, unity, and cooperation in Ikere Ekiti.
“You should reflect and be thankful that what you have been striving to achieve for many years has now been achieved. We want peace in Odo Oja Ikere, Ikere Ekiti and the whole of Ekiti State,” he said.
The governor explained that the Odo Oja community had submitted an application seeking autonomy to the review commission in January 2019, while the commission submitted its report in December 2019.
“The commission found merit in the application and recommended autonomy for Odo Oja Ikere Ekiti as a town and the head as an oba,” the governor added.
There had been a supremacy battle between the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti and the Olukere. While the Ogoga enjoyed government recognition, the Olukere had been striving for recognition
In his reaction, the Olukere, Oba Obasoyin, who described the event as significant in the life of Ikere Ekiti, commended the state government for making the autonomy for the community and recognition of the stool a reality.
The monarch, who said he would continue to live by the truth, said, “The development will usher in a new era of peace, tranquillity, progress, unity and prosperity in Ikere Ekiti.”
In a statement earlier on Friday titled, ‘Ekiti govt recognises Olukere as oba, grants autonomy to Odo Oja community of Ikere Ekiti,’ the Executive Secretary, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Adegboyega Morakinyo, said, “In furtherance of the ongoing review of the implementation of the White Paper on the report of the commission, the government has revisited the recommendation on the application of the Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti.
“The government accepts the recommendation of the commission. The Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti is accordingly granted autonomous status and its traditional head, Olukere, is hereby recognised as an oba.”
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