I want to return home, embattled Ekiti Monarch begs

Ekiti Monarch Obasaoye of Isaoye Ekiti in Moba Local Government, Oba Gabriel Olajide, has appealed to his aggrieved subjects to allow peace to reign in the community.

Oba Olajide admonished the subjects to jettisoned the threat of deposition plot against him, assuring the subjects that though he would not participate in ritual activities being a Christian, but clarified that he had no intention to eradicate traditional practices in the kingdom.

“Going by the provision of Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, I have no power to eradicate any religion, because we have freedom to practice religion of our choice”, he said.

Oba Ajibade, who is a member of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry, was last year chased out of the town , following suspicion that he was not interested in traditional religion of his people.

The Monarch who is a Sergeant in the Nigeria Police Force said, he ascended the throne in 2017 with a strong vision to rewrite the history of the community and foster development, by changing the backward position of the town to prosperity.

The town, in another petition signed by 14 chiefs and dated 19th July 2019, which was addressed to the council of traditional rulers clearly stated their resolve to remove the king for allegedly abdicating the throne of his forebears.

In the petition, the chiefs raised 13 offences against Oba Ajibade, which includes non-performance of traditional rites, harassment of subjects with police, highhandedness, abscondment, among other issues.

Oba Ajibade who repelled the allegations at a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, Oba Ajibade, revealed that he would have been killed just because of his Christianity last year August when some irate subjects brought corpse to his palace and deflated his vehicle’s tyres.

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“We just round off a revival in my town and few days later, some subjects brought the corpse of a woman to my palace. They nearly destroyed my car and I had to escape through the bush to Ayetoro. Those who came included members of my own ruling house.

“They petitioned me to the governor. They said I have absconded. I want to bring change and that was why I came with a religion I believe in, but now they had misunderstood me and said they want a new king.

“Nobody had ever held councilorship position since 1999 or traveled abroad in Isaoye, but we have produced a councilor and our children are now traveling out within two years I came to the throne.

“The Deputy governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi and Oore of Otun, Oba Adedapo Popoola called us last year December and appealed that we should go and resolve our differences, but some chiefs decided to frustrate the peace committee I constituted.

“I want to appeal to the government to plead with them to allow peace to reign in the interest of our children and generations coming”.

He appealed to his detractors to sheath their swords and join hands with him to improve the human resources and infrastructure facilities of the ancient community.

“Let me also told those who are struggling for this Obasaoye stool with me to have the belief that only God can enthrone a king”, he said.