By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
The Ogoga-in-Council,a body of traditional chiefs of Ikere-Ekiti kingdom of the palace of Ogoga, Oba Adu Adejimi Alagbado, has proscribed the title of Olukere, which Ganiyu Obasoyin currently in remand is holding.
Obasoyin had been remanded in prison custody after his arrest late December, 2017 for allegedly involved in murdering one Femi Kolade in a reprisal attack on Christmas day.
It was learnt that Obasoyin led a team of his loyalists and some men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to a place in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital for a reprisal attack against some suspected thugs who allegedly attacked his new hotel and destroyed some facilities there.
In the course of the reprisal, Kolade, a toilet attendant in Fayose market in Ado-Ekiti, was allegedly stabbed to death.
While it was rumoured that the deceased was an armed robbery suspect, his younger brother and graduate of Ekiti State university, Ajibola Kolade denied the rumour in a chat with journalists on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.
Ajibola, who said though his elder brother’s untimely death was a huge blow to the family, however added that it should be placed on records that the deceased was neither an armed robber nor a political thug.
“My elder brother was a toilet attendant at the popular Fayose market along Ikere Road in Ado-Ekiti. His alias name there was ‘kofem’ and everyone there knows him. He was also in some laundry business. Reventkt he took to poultry business. He was never an armed robber. He wasn’t even at the scene where the attack on the Olukere hotel was carried out. He was just a gentleman who unfortunately was at the scene the reprisal attack was carried out.
“My brother,Femi was a gentleman. He was a father of two and has a wife. What we learnt about his death was that Olukere brought his men on that Christmas day to where my brother and his friends, with whom he wore same ‘Aso ebi’,were relaxing and having drinks for the yuletide. They said my deceased’s brother even begged on behalf of those who had offended the Olukere, but he didn’t want to pardon as he allegedly ordered his boys to attack the men, leading to the killing of my brother. My brother has been my benefactor and never hurt a fly in his life,” he said.
Announcing the proscription of the Olukere chieftaincy title, Secretary to the Ogoga in Council, Chief James Alonge , the Odofin of Ikere Ekiti, who read Ogoga’s address to newsmen at the palace yesterday, said Olukere was never a title in Ikere land. He recalled that the identity recognised for Obasoyin had been the Oloje, a masquerade chieftaincy title given by Ogoga to a chief whose duty is to appease one of the Ikere gods, Olosunta.
He echoed an history told by the Edemo of the town, Pa Solomon Jayeola, which revealed that Olukere was a name a one time Oloje of Ikere gave himself because he used to gather some fetish materials known in the town as ukere,kere, saying Olukere which Obasoyin represents means: ‘one who gathers ukerekere for fetish purposes and not ‘owner of Ikere’ as can be interpreted in Yoruba.
Alleging that Obasoyin had committed some offences against the law and traditions of the community, Odofin, who equally alleged that the police has been pampering him until recently, read in part: “This is an individual with with no evidence of official recognition or appointment or approval either traditional or from the state government . I am by the grace of God , the Oba , King of Ikere duly elected by kingmakers through our processes and given the staff of office and Certificate of Appointment and accredited by Ekiti State Government . i do not understand the platform upon which preferential treatment is accorded Obasoyin , a mere priest while the police continue to undermine my authority.
We like to remind you of the alleged criminal breaches of the law by same Ganiu Obasoyin and his The incarceration of the Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin is generating reactions from some residents of the town.
Meanwhile, some residents of Ikere-Ekiti on Wednesday embarked on a peaceful demonstration, demanding the unconditional release of Obasoyin Ganiyu from remand.
The residents began the protest to demand the immediate release of their traditional ruler, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin at his palace located at Odo-Oja area of the town.
The monarch who has been held in prison custody since Wednesday, the 27th December, 2017 was accused of murdering those who invaded his hotel in the town.
The residents distanced the traditional ruler from the killing, describing the allegation as a political move by the state government to dent his image.
The residents marched round the sacred tree at the heart of the town where one of the high chiefs of the town Folusho Olowolafe addressed them.
Olowolafe urged the residents to exercise patience, noting that efforts are on top gear to ensure the release of the monarch.
The protesters were mostly, traditional chiefs, community leaders, aged men and women of the town sang solidarity songs, armed with placards of various inscriptions such as; “we demand the release of our King”, “Government should allow peace to reign in Ikere”, “we demand Fayose to release our Kabiyesi to us now” among others.
Chief Adeyemi Afolayan who is the Eselemo of Ikere-Ekiti, Dr. Michael Osundare and Mrs. Amusa Adepeju in a separate interviews with newsmen expressed their concern over what they described as illegal detention of their traditional ruler.
“The protest is in respect of our Oba, the Olukere of Ikere, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, Okomolese || who is currently in the custody in Ado-Ekiti over trump up charges against him, some of our children are there with him, and the people are not happy about it, they want him released with immediate effect”.
The residents appealed to the Federal Government to wade into the lingering crisis pervading the town before it gets escalated.
