The Ekiti State government has restated its firm resolve to instil the doctrine of due process in dealing with all chieftaincy selection processes, warning against manipulations and impositions.

The deputy governor, Monisade Afuye, stated this on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, while mediating in a chieftaincy crisis in the installation of the Obanla chieftaincy in Efon-Alaaye.

Ms Afuye said the mediation stemmed from a petition by the Eruobodo family of Aaye quarters in Efon-Alaaye, which raised concerns about being sidelined in the installation of a new Obanla of the kingdom and the second-in-command.

She said the Alaaye Chieftaincy Declarations of 1957 stipulated that three ruling houses could fill the vacancy: Adaramoye, Eruobodo, and Arojo, and that only male children are entitled to the stool.

Ms Afuye said that Eruobodo remains the right family to produce the next Obanla, in line with the rotational principle prescribed by the State Chiefs Law and chieftaincy declarations.

She maintained that the governor was canvassing strict adherence to the Chiefs Law to sustain the relative peace being enjoyed in the state and avert unnecessary quarrels that could trigger violence and bloodshed.

Ms Afuye summoned the head of the Eruobodo family to appear at the next meeting convened by the government to clarify whether the person installed, Wole Oni, was truly from the family, as claimed.

“The Eruobodo family should be the one to present the candidate to the kingmakers for installation. So, go back home and resolve the issue amicably.

“We are after peace, and the government won’t allow anything that can tamper with the relative peace being enjoyed in the state,” she said.

Speaking, the petitioner, Moses Eruobodo, alleged that available evidence substantiated the fact that the Obanla title was being rotated among the ruling houses, and they had presented a candidate as the next in line but were sidelined by the Alaaye-in-Council.

Mr Eruobodo said the person installed as Obanla, Wole Oni, was never a member of their family, as claimed.

He described the installation of Mr Oni as a gross act of imposition and injustice, which must be addressed by the state government.

Speaking, the Saba of Aaye quarters and head of kingmakers, Francis Mogaji, clarified that the choice of Mr Oni was sequel to consideration by all the kingmakers in the kingdom as prescribed by the Chiefs’ Law, saying the nomination was not the sole official right of Aaye quarters.

Mr Mogaji accused the petitioner of trying to manipulate the process by presenting only one candidate, which the kingmakers rejected.

However, the Alaaye of Efon Alaaye-Ekiti, James Aladejare, the prescribed authority, and the chairman of Efon Local Government, Segun Afolabi, commended the government for the swift intervention and promised to use internal mechanisms to resolve the issue.

(NAN)