Obaship tussle: Fayose imposes dusk-to-dawn curfew on Ekiti town

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has imposed dusk-to-dawn curfew on Awo-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, to douse the raging tension over Obaship tussle. The restriction, which affected human and vehicles, is to take effect from 6pm to 6am in the morning.

The community had been entangled in crisis in the last one year following the enthronement of Prince Azees Olaleye Aladejuyigbe as the new Alawo of Awo Ekiti, before it snowballed into anarchy on Saturday. In a bid to ward off any litigation that could stall his ascension to the throne last year, the State government had hastily enthroned Aladejuyigbe and immediately presented him with the staff of office. The crisis was said to be assuming a religious dimension , with princes, who are Christians claiming that some external forces were allegedly planning to Islamize the throne. The monarch was said to have been barred from palace since enthronement and had taken refuge in the mosque since the crisis escalated last weekend. …


Meantime, contrary to fears in some quarters that it might take a while before a new monarch is installed for Isan-Ekiti, the hometown of the immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who is also a major opposition figure, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has presented the Staff and Instrument of Office to the new Onisan, Oba Adejuwon Ayodele. The installation followed the selection of Oba Ayodele by all the six kingmakers in the town to fill the vacant stool and prevent a vacuum that could stall the progress of the community. Speaking on the occasion in Isan-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of the state, Governor Fayose said as the leader of the state, he had no axe to grind with anybody and would never interfere in traditional matters. A statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, quoted the governor as saying that he would never play politics on trample on truth or deny any group their rights. “As God has made me the leader of the state at this period, I must be fair to all and this I am doing in the handling of state matters. That Isan-Ekiti is the hometown of former Governor Kayode Fayemi does not mean the right thing must not be done. The ruling house that is next to produce the next monarch came forward with their list of candidates and interestingly, all the six kingmakers voted for one candidate.