After the various Ifa oracles selected the monarchs for Otun-Ekiti and Ilomu-Ekiti communities, the Ekiti State Government at its council meeting on May 15, 2020 ratified the selection of the traditional rulers to fill the vacant stools.
Otun-Ekiti and Ilomu-Ekiti in Ekiti State have reason to be in festive mood as the state government has given its green-light by ratifying the election of their traditional rulers to occupy the vacant stools.
Truly, there were apprehensions as the two communities awaited the approval of their monarchs but this has been put behind as their subjects are gearing up towards the formal installation of the Obas-elect.
The Ekiti state government on May 15, 2020 ratified Prince Adekunle Adeagbo of the Adifagbade ruling house as the new Oore of Otun-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area in the state.
The approval as announced by the Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Mr. Muyiwa Olumilua, said council approved the appointment of the new monarch following his nomination by the kingmakers in the town.
The stool became vacant after the demise of the last Oore, Oba Adedapo Popoola on October 22, 2019, who was from Imoya ruling house after 19 years of reign. The community has five ruling houses.
They are Ule Obajeu, Iyeba, Tuntun, Imoro and Imoya. The new Oba-elect, Adekunle Adeagbo is from the Iyaaba ruling house.
During the selection processes, High Chief Obanla called the Ifa priests for consultation in order to inquire from the Ifa Oracle, who should be the right candidate that would occupy the stool of Oore of Otun-Ekiti.
In all seven persons were presented as candidates from the Ile Iyaaba Ruling House.
They are Prince Olubunmi Adegboye Adebiyi, Prince Olubunmi Ajibade, Prince Adekunle Adeagbo, Prince Adeyinka Adeagbo, Prince Babatunde Abolarin, Prince Popoola Samsom Adegoke and Prince Omowonuola Heritage Adewumi.
At the end of the day, Prince Adekunle Adeagbo was nominated as the Oba-elect on the May 5, 2020. Apart from being a first class traditional ruler, the occupant of the Oore stool is also the paramount ruler of Moba land.
Before the new Oba-elect was nominated, the state government declared that the Chieftaincy Law must be adhered to in Obaship selection and warned that anyone who violated the law risks jail term.
Even though a new Oba-elect has emerged for the town, the youth forum of Obajeu ruling house has raised eyebrow allegedly “imposition” towards the selection of the new Oore. The family in a 7-point communiqué signed by President of the Obajeu Youth Forum, Mr. Tajudeen Adeleke, Secretary, Razak Adeleke and Public Relations Officer, Tunde Adeoye, said the process was bedeviled by “illegality.”
The claimant noted that by virtue of the principle of rotation, Obajeu was the natural choice to be considered, calling on government to reverse the action to prevent acting ultra vires of its powers as stipulated by the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law.
Oba-elect Adeagbo
The Oba-elect of Otun-Ekiti Adekunle Adeagbo, attended the International School, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State and Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife in Osun State. Adeagbo is an International Dredging practitioner on sharp sand, aggregates, gold and precious minerals.
He is a member of the International Western Dredging Association, Vancouver, Canada/United States of America, Nigeria-Canada Association, Ottawa, Canada, World Dredging Association.
He is a director of many companies such as Mercury Dredging and Construction Ltd, Royalties Mining and Construction ltd, Elkon West Africa Ltd.
For Ilomu-Ekiti stool in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, eight candidates contested to become the new Oba. They are Prince Iluku Ojo Omobire, Prince Iluku Ayorinde Ilesanmi, Prince Iluku Francis Ilesanmi, Prince Iluku Peter Owolabi, Prince Iluku Thomas Ademiloye, Prince Iluku Sunday Omotuyi, Prince Iluku Dare (Pastor) and Prince Iluku Adeniyi.
The state government also approved the appointment of Prince Iluku Ojo Oluwadamilare Omobire as the new Olomu of Ilomu Ekiti on May 15, 2020 as announced through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Olumilua. He said the executive council has approved the selection of the new monarch following his nomination by their kingmakers.
The Olomu of Ilomu-Ekiti is a recognized chieftaincy to which the Provision of the Chiefs Law Cap. C.S. Law of Ekiti State (2012) applies, he said. According to him, the Oba-elect was selected through Ifa divination on the February 19, 2019.
The Head of the Kingmakers in Ilomu Ekiti Kingdom, Chief J.O. Akinwunmi said “Prince Omobire, was duly selected after due consultations with Ifa oracle in line with the customs of the ancient town and as officially communicated by the Ekiti State Government in consonance to the 1961 Chieftaincy Declaration law.”
Profile of Prince Omobire
Oba-elect Omobire attended Baptist Primary School in Esure Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State between 1988 and 1994 and proceeded to Ilupeju High School in Ilupeju Ekiti. He had his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) at the Kwara State Polytechnic and Higher National Diploma (HND) at the Yaba College of Technology where he studied Business Administration.
The Oba-elect worked in several establishments such as the Etus Group of Companies at the Alaba International Market, Ojo in Lagos as a Warehouse Manager between year 2011 and 2012, Safe Trip Transport Limited, Lagos State as Assistant Accountant between 2012 and 2013 as well as Lagos Bus Service Management.
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