Ekiti state government has been called upon to steer clear of the Chief Priest tussle causing rancour in Itapa Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State as it’s said to be purely traditional affairs.
A nonagenarian, Chief Ajayi, the Olugotun of Egbe, Itapa Ekiti and the State chairman of Chief Priests in Ekiti, Chief Faleye Ayodele both gave the advice while speaking with journalists on the reinstatement order recently given to Oba David Ajaja, the Owatapa of Itapa on the matter.
It could be recalled that the State government on last Tuesday appealed to Owatapa of Itapa Ekiti, Oba David Ajaja, to reabsorb Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi who was earlier deposed as Chief Priest of the town following irreconcilable differences for peace and unity to be restored to the town.
The 95 year- old chief Ajayi, who according to him had witnessed four different installations of Chief priests in the town advised government not to instigate crises in Itapa-Ekiti through the order.
“I want to strongly appeal to the state government to allow justice and tradition prevail in the installation of the Chief Priest of Itapa Ekiti. The installation of Chief Priest is traditional and it has procedures to be followed, but I was surprised when the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye ordered the reinstatement of Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi without undergoing any process. At the same time, it isn’t the turn of his family to be Chief Priest for now. I expected government to have digged into the facts about the matter before meddling on the issue”. The nonagenarian maintained.
Ascertaining the authentic Chief Priest of the town, Chief Olugotun said, Chief Temitope Ajayi is in charge, saying he underwent all the processes as required by tradition and that it’s even the turn of the Egbe Quarters where he belongs. Adding that since Chief Temitope Ajayi has been installed on 24th October, 2015, he has been performing his duties in the town accordingly and effectively.
Corroborating Olugotun’s claim, the Chairman of Ekiti State Chief Priests who doubles as Ido – Osi Chief Priest, Chief Ayodele Faleye stated that government cannot pick Chief priest for Itapa Ekiti, noting that it’s an affair of the traditionalists.
“In Yoruba land, there is no where government installs Chief Priest, it’s purely community affair and it has to be carried out by the traditionalists themselves”.
He said the Chief Priest is responsible to the community and not government. “It’s completely wrong to install a novice as Chief Priest. It’s mostly rotational among families known for the post, government can only install kings and not Chief Priest because the installation is done by Chief Priests of towns, local and state governments just as the ordination of pastors are usually performed by the senior pastors in the case of churches.
“Chief Temitope Ajayi is the authentic Chief Priest of Itapa Ekiti, he is the chairman Oye Local Government Chief Priest and he has been representing well in the state level, so Kehinde laying claim to the post is not acceptable because his installation did not conform to the tradition and the rotational processes”
Chief Faleye stated that initially, the state body of traditionalists was in support of Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi but later got the facts about the process that led to his installation when the crisis started.
“We visited Itapa Ekiti three times to resolve the logjam, in the process, we discovered that it was not the turn of Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi’s family to present a candidate for the post of the Chief Priest of the town, and in our presence the Owatapa declared that Kehinde Osanyingbemi should stop parading himself as Chief Priest of Itapa-Ekiti and affirmed Chief Temitope Ajayi as the rightful owner of the title.
The Chairman, therefore urged the state government to allow peace reign in the community by creating enabling environment to Chief Temitope Ajayi to continue his duties as the Chief Priest of the town which has been very peaceful since his installation.
On his own part, Chief Temitope Ajayi, who is acceptable Chief Priest of Itapa Ekiti and doubles as Oye Local Government Chief Priest, equally appealed to the state government to dig deep into the matter so as not to “rock the boat”, stressing that, Itapa Ekiti is peaceful and he wishes it continues in such manner for the progress of the town and it’s citizenry.
Also, the Elemeyin of Itapa Ekiti, Chief Ogunleye Benjamin Foluso said for peace to reign in Itapa Ekiti, he pleaded with government to allow Chief Temitope Ajayi, who was chosen by the oracle and underwent all the traditional rites of the installation process to continue to perform his duties as Chief Priest of Itapa – Ekiti.
In his word, “Chief Temitope Ajayi in most cases used to use his personal money to perform rituals and sacrifices for the progress of the town as his post demands”.
Highlighting how the Chief Priest of the town are usually installed, he said only four families are entitled to the post and that it usually follows in sequence which are; Egbe Quarters, Oro- Oke, Ale-iremo and lastly Egetun. Adding that currently, it is the turn Egbe Quarters.
While recounting the genesis of the issue, the Ajimoko of Itapa Kingdom, Chief Oni Tayo Albert alleged that it was late Odofin of Itapa, Chief Lawrence Adeyanju that misled Owatapa to install Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi in 2013 without following the due process of selecting the Chief Priest.
“We told Kabiyesi that it’s the responsibility of the traditionalists in the town to install the Chief Priest and Kabiyesi agreed. Four Persons from Egbe Quarters came out to contest contest but it wasTemitope Ajayi that was chosen by the oracle.
“Thereafter, Owatapa called a meeting of all the Traditional Priests in Itapa Ekiti, Oye Local Government and Ekiti State where he declared the real Chief priest before the Council of Chiefs in Ibode. He affirmed Chief Temitope Ajayi, Apeye oko joogun 2 as the Chief Priest of the town and pronounced that Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi should stop parading himself as Itapa Chief priest”.
He added that Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi had filed four cases in the court regarding the matter but failed.
When contacted to have his own side of the matter, the traditional ruler of Itapa-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, David Ajaja said the Council of Traditionalists in Itapa, Oye Local Government and State should be contacted on the matter, saying they are in best position to give factual information about who the authentic Chief Priest is. He said what is paramount to him is the peace of Itapa-Ekiti.
However, findings revealed that one former House of Assembly member was instrumental to the reinstatement order given by the Deputy Governor.
All efforts to hear from Chief Kehinde Osanyingbemi proved abortive as he couldn’t respond to calls or reply the messages sent to him as at the time of filing this report.
