In an unprecedented move, Deputy Governor Mrs. Monisade Afuye ordered the punitive measures during a meeting with a community delegation in Ado-Ekiti. She stressed the importance of chieftaincy title holders being circumspect in their actions and understanding that they must be peacemakers. She said Governor Biodun Oyebanji was a promoter of peace and would not allow anyone to disrupt any community under any pretext.
The directive followed government mediation over a letter of protest written by Abel Olorunsogo of the Ayauna family of Iworo district, accusing the Olumuo of Omuo-Ekiti, Oba Noah Omonigbehin, of preventing the family from taking the position that was due among the royal dynasties entitled to occupy this coveted seat.
In his petition, Olorunsogo referred to a 1999 judgment of the Court which stated that only three families had the exclusive right to the royal seat in an order of succession, unlike the four claimed by the Omonigbehin council.
However, the Deputy Governor ruled in favor of the petitioner and ordered Oba Omonigbehin to begin the process for the installation of a new Aro of the Ayaro dynasty of Iworo district. She advised Olomuo to strictly adhere to the rotation favoring the Ayaro dynasty for the title, in the interest of posterity and peace.
In imposing sanction on Chief Faluyi, Mrs. Afuye pointed out that this punitive action served as a deterrent to some chiefs who were in the habit of dividing the throne against their traditional ruler. She ordered the withholding of Chief Faluyi’s salary until he agrees to a full settlement with Olomuo over the case.
She also pointed out that the four families constituting the Iworo ward agreed in 1999 that the position of Aro should be allocated in rotation according to the Ayaro, Ayauna, Ayagbolu and Ayaasun families. Since the last occupant of the seat was from the Ayaasun family, it is now up to the Ayaro family to choose the next occupant of the royal seat.
Amid this controversy, Olomuo denied favoring any particular dynasty and stressed that the mode of succession was established in 1999 by members of the families. He said he had no preference for any particular candidate.
This case highlights the tensions surrounding succession within royal dynasties and highlights the importance of respecting traditions and peace within communities. Local government plays a crucial role in resolving these conflicts and maintaining harmony among different stakeholders.