Monarchs in Ekiti State have issued a warning, stating their intention to employ traditional measures, including invoking the Yoruba gods, against kidnappers who are causing fear and distress in the state.
The hoodlums, who hitherto operated in the North-West, have in the past weeks laid siege to the South-West where they have unleashed havoc on residents.
On Monday, they killed two Ekiti monarchs-the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, narrowly escaped.
The traditional rulers were returning from a function in Kogi State on Monday when they ran into an ambush mounted by the kidnappers who were operating on the highway between Ipao and Oke Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Also in the same area, kidnappers attacked a school bus and whisked away five pupils of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, three teachers, and the bus driver.
Speaking on the security issue, the Chairman of Ekiti State Traditional Council and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, told The PUNCH on Wednesday, that monarchs in the state would embrace all methods to find a solution to the security crisis in the state.
Oba Faboro, who said the council would not disclose the tactics to be deployed by the traditional council, assured that in no time, the problem of insecurity would be history in the state.
The traditional ruler spoke in a chat with The PUNCH shortly after an emergency meeting that the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, held with all monarchs in the state and security chiefs to enable the obas advice on the way forward.
The oba said, “Any solution is acceptable, we will approach our problem with every possible solution.’’
A former chairman of the traditional council and the Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti, Oba Michael Adedeji, said that there was no alternative to the embrace of traditional methods by the monarchs to ensure peace and order.
Ekiti obas
Oba Adedeji said, “That was among our discussions during the meeting with the governor and security chiefs in Ado Ekiti today. The issue of the traditional methods was what I raised during the meeting.
“There was a way our forefathers did things in their days and had it the way they had it. The recent developments have shown that we need to toe that line. And many of my colleagues bought into that.
“The traditional council set up a committee that would meet Mr governor on what we want and how we want it, I am on the committee and the issue of traditional solution is among the things we are going to discuss with the governor.’’
“The government has to empower the traditional rulers to do all they want to secure their communities. This will include local security and fortification,”
the monarch further stated.
The Onikun of Ikun Ekiti, Oba Olatunde David Olusola, who corroborated Oba Adedeji, on the return to alternative traditional solution, said, “The security of our people is our responsibility as grassroots leaders. If Obas are being killed like chickens, I don’t think we can accept such a situation.
“This can be done by embracing the traditional and all other methods possible to avert any causality and to make sure there is peace in Ekiti State. We will use any method possible to ensure peace in Ekiti, we are not cowards. Enough is enough,”
Oba Olusola added.
Speaking further, the royal father explained, “We had a meeting with Mr Governor today (yesterday). Aside from the meeting, the obas met and dwelt so much on the traditional aspect. We agreed that a lot of potency has been lost.
“As a matter of fact, in the past, this (assault and killing of monarchs) could not have happened, because no oba would get to the throne without passing through the necessary traditional rites. The traditional rites would have emboldened and empowered every oba that got to the stool.’’
Appease gods
Also speaking, the Olukere of Odo Oja Ikere Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, who described the killing of two traditional rulers as a sacrilege, said, “It is an abomination to kill traditional rulers as it happened on Monday. We have to appease the gods that such calamity should not befall us again.
“In the olden days, you hardly see a king much more thinking of kidnapping him. People feared kings then. All kings in Yoruba from time immemorial had what their forefathers used to organize towns, soothe the towns, and ensure peace and tranquillity when there was no Christianity and Islamic religions.’’
Speaking further, the Oba lamented the abandonment of the traditional coronation rites for kings, saying, “Now, nearly 80 per cent of our kings have abandoned all these, they had embraced foreign religions. That is why those things that would never happen in those days are happening now.
“I support wholly that we should retrace our steps. From the position where the obas are placed now, it is the kings that God handed the world over to. Politicians have retrieved all the powers of the kings.’’
Also speaking in a chat, an Isese practitioner and the Awise Awo of Ado Ekiti, Chief Dauda Lawal, said that the killing of two monarchs in such a manner was sad, blaming the infiltration of foreign religions for a lot of crises being experienced.
