Ekiti Community Protests, Demands Autonomy

Indigenes of Odo- Odo, a section of Iworoko Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area, on Sunday staged a  protest  to demand autonomy for the community.

The indigenes, armed with placards, held procession in the community to express displeasure over the relegation of Arinjale title to a mere chieftaincy status instead of  a full-fledged monarch and denial of the town of autonomy.

The indigenes, who are descendants of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, maintained failure to grant them autonomy by successive Governments in the State, despite being the first settlers, have caused a setback in terms of development and savouring the dividends of democracy.

Speaking on behalf of the card-carrying protesters, Prince Julius Babalola, said granting autonomy for Arinjale of Odo-Odo and the entire community was long overdue.

Babalola posited that the Intelligence Report of 1933, Ondo State chieftaincy review commission of 1978 and a book written by Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, rated Arinjale as a full fledged monarch, wondering why the title was being relegated by goverment.

He stated that Arinjale of Odo-Odo had settled in Iworoko Ekiti since 1891, with a well established royal dynasty before being joined in 1932 by Alaworoko, who now superintend over the community as the only recognised King.

He regretted how the community was politically manipulated out of recognition and denied of autonomy by Justices Silas Oyewole and Jide Aladejana-led chieftaincy review commissions of 2014 and 2020 respectively.

“Our progenitor, Gberubioya, a prince   from Ado Ekiti came to this place in 1891 with his crown and people . We didn’t meet anybody here. Alaworoko came from Ila Orangun in Osun State to join us 41 years after.

He stressed that during the proceedings of the old Ondo State Chieftaincy review commission of 1978, the then Alaworoko did openly confess before panelists that there are two broad sections in Iworoko, but pleaded that he wanted the town to remain united instead of being divided.

“Despite these avalanche of evidence of our established monarchy here, the Justices Silas Oyewole and Jide Aladejana- led  review commissions of 2014, and 2020 said the Memoranda we submitted to grant us autonomy lacked merit.

“Autonomy is part of democracy dividends. We have always been supporting the APC government and we have a rich history supporting our case, so we appeal to Governor Fayemi to grant our request before bowing out on October 15,2022,” he said.