Crisis Looms In Ondo Community As Govt Reportedly Sets To Install Monarch Against Court Order
A fresh crisis appears to be looming in the Etikan community of Ilaje local government in Ondo state over the purported plan by the Ondo state government to present a staff of office to a new monarch within the community.
This, Nigerian Cable News Online has reliably gathered, is in defiance to a court Order issued by Justice D.I Kolawole of the Ondo state high court on the 1st of July, 2024.
According to the order as obtained by our correspondence, the court had ordered a stay of action, on the presentation of the staff of office to the proposed Oba In Ereke Community, a subset within Etikan, in order to avert a breach of peace.
In a statement signed by Chief Monday Oyetakin (The Akinrogun of Etikan Kingdom) and High Chief Bode Ojabogun (The Aare of Etikan Kingdom on behalf of themselves and Etikan Kingdom, they warned against a fresh inter-communal crisis in Ilaje Local Government, while calling on governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to stop the proposed installation of the monarch in the interest of peace.
“We have the authority and instruction of the people of Etikan Kingdom to issue this Press Statement which serves as a warning and caution against another inter-communal crisis in Ilaje Local Government of Ondo State, if the State Government fails to cease action it is about to take to install a King in Ereke Community, Ilaje Local Government” the statement reads in part.
“The attention of the People of Etikan Kingdom has just been drawn to an arrangement being orchestrated by some Highly induced Government functionaries within the Ondo State Ministry of local government and Chieftaincy Affairs to install a King in Ereke Community on Friday 16th of August 2024- a community which has been a subject of long legal battle between the Olikan of Etikan Kingdom and Amapetu of Mahin Kingdom.
“We wish to draw the attention of His Excellency- Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to the fact that there is a ruling of the High Court of Justice of Ondo State Nigeria, Akure Judicial Division in the suit No:AK/350/2022 between his HRM OBA TEMIDAYO SOLOMON OMOYELE (THE OLIKAN OF ETIKAN KINGDOM) and two others AND the Governor of Ondo State and Six others where in the second to the last paragraph of the Ruling, the Court, held that ” the 1st to 2nd defendants are to exercise their discretion to STAY ACTION on the presentation of the staff of office to the fourth defendants pending the Hearing of the application for Interlocutory injunction, still pending in the case file or determination of the case. This is because it has been insinuated in this same application, that the issue can cause a breach of the peace” Kindly see attached the Certified True Copy of the ruling by Honourable Justice D.I Kolawole delivered on the 1st July 2024.
“Mr Governor, it is advisable at this junction that the Government of Ondo State should err on the side of caution by distancing itself from any such act capable of causing a breach of the fragile peace between the people of Etikan Kingdom and Mahin Kingdom and for the State Executive Arm not to also derogate the sacred Judicial institution by flouting its Orders. Mr Governor, We are very delighted that Your Excellency is an Ilaje Man and by Virtue of which Your Excellency is fully acquainted with the facts in dispute. Whereas,the Etikan People are not contending that Ereke people are Mahin descendants who migrated to the place they now settle as Ereke Community.However, It is a notorious fact to all Ilajes, home and abroad, that the land where Ereke people now settled belongs to Etikan Kingdom. Hence, Etikan Sons and Daughters will not fold their arms to allow the Mahin Kingdom to deprive them of their God-given, inalienable rights. We, therefore urge Mr. Governor to immediately call off the program slated for Friday 16th August 2024 at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for the presentation of the staff of Office to ELEREKE OF EREKE and further direct the Ministry to maintain status quo pending the Hearing of the Application for Interlocutory Injunction or the determination of substantive suit as directed by the Court” the statement added.
