...Gov only wants know why they have not been attending council meetings - Govt
Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi has issued queries to 16 most prominent traditional rulers in the state, a development that has caused panic among residents.
The apprehension was heightened because it came a few days after the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Lamido Sanusi II was deposed by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
This has caused panic in town and made people feel that government allegedly wanted to deal with some monarchs.
The governor was said to have issued the queries for an alleged continued absence of the monarchs from state’s functions and the monthly council meeting since Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, became the Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, a few months ago.
The query dated March 11, 2020, signed by the permanent secretary, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. A.O. Adeoye and addressed to the obas individually, a copy of which was sighted by journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, said the obas must respond to the queries within 72 hours.
The query reads: “It had come to the attention of Mr. Governor that Your Royal Majesty has not been attending the monthly statutory meeting of the State Council of Traditional Rulers and State official functions since August 2019.
“Your conspicuous absence at the council meetings and state official functions, without any excuse or justification is considered inimical to the proper administration of the chieftaincy institution you represent.
“Therefore, Mr Governor has directed that Your Royal Majesty should forward your representation for this inaction through this office within 72 hours on the receipt of this letter,” the letter concluded.
Before taking up the gauntlet against the government and resorting to litigation, the obas contended that the Ekiti State chieftaincy law stipulates that the chairman of the council should be appointed among the Pelupelu/Alademerindinlogun obas, the category they said Alawe didn’t belong to.
