The Ekiti State Government has assured communities who are dissatisfied with the chieftaincy review exercise carried out in 2019 of fairness and justice in a bid to address their grievances and ensure the right grading of their monarchs.
The Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, gave the assurance on Monday at the inaugural sitting of a committee to examine petitions written by some Obas against the White Paper on Justice Aladejana Chieftaincy Review Commission.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, the panel received a total number of 62 petitions from traditional rulers who were not satisfied with the chieftaincy review.
Speaking when the Obas, chiefs and leaders of the communities defended their memoranda, Otunba Egbeyemi, who is the Chairman of the panel to look into the latest petitions declared the readiness of the panel to carry out the assignment objectively and dispassionately.
Other members of the panel are the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr Sola Ogunmiluyi; Executive Secretary, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Adegboyega Morakinyo; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Traditional Chiefs Matters, Chief Adewumi Olasehinde; Director of Administration and Supply, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr Emmanuel Ayodele; and Director, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Adeyeye Adeleye.
Ten petitions were slated for hearing on the first day of the sitting of the Committee which took both oral and documentary evidence from the concerned traditional rulers, their lawyers and community spokesmen.
The Deputy Governor explained that Governor Kayode Fayemi gave the nod for the committee to be empanelled because of his interest in ensuring that justice is done.
While describing the Panel as a fact-finding one, Otunba Egbeyemi warned communities and interest groups against involvement in underhand dealings warning them against attempts to personally approach panel members with a view to compromising them.
He said: “This Committee is a fact-finding one and it was established because our governor is a listening governor who is giving another opportunity for Obas and communities who are not happy with the White Paper of the Aladejana Chieftaincy Review Commission.
“There were lots of protests and petitions against the decision of the Aladejana Commission and that is why Mr Governor has given us this assignment to listen to you again so that justice can be done.
“We are supposed to give justice and we are going to look into your papers and other evidence you have forwarded to us. We will recommend appropriately based on the facts before us. I want to assure you that justice shall be done to your cases.
“If anybody says that somebody in the panel sent him to us, there is no truth in that. Nobody can bribe is or buy our conscience. Members of this panel are distinguished individuals and we have been handed this assignment based on trust and we will never betray that trust.”
The first petition that was heard by the Committee was the one tabled by the Olohan of Erijiyan Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government, Oba Adegoroye Omoseebi who was seeking an upgrade from Grade B to Grade A.
The Olohan, whose case was presented by his counsel, Mr Ademola Okeya, said he had been in Grade B since 1999 noting that some of his colleagues who were in the same grade had been given promotions to Grade A.
While urging the Committee to recommend his promotion to Grade A, the Olohan averred that the Justice Silas Oyewole Commission of 2018 and the Justice Jide Aladejana Commission of 2019 had recommended his promotion to Grade A which was not implemented by the latter’s White Paper.
The Olosin of Osin Ekiti in Oye Local Government, Oba Philip Oyediran, requested the upgrade of his stool from Grade C to Grade B monarch in line with the recommendation of the Oyewole Commission.
Oba Oyediran kicked against the recommendation of the Aladejana Commission that he should maintain his Grade C status urging the Egbeyemi Panel to implement the recommendation of the Oyewole Commission.
The Aroniro of Iro Ekiti in Moba Local Government, Oba James Omotoso, urged the panel to upgrade his stool from Grade C to Grade B on grounds that other monarchs in the same council area had enjoyed promotions from their former status.
The Olusi of Usi Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government, Oba Adedayo Akande, urged the panel to recommend the upgrade of his stool from Grade B to Grade A urging the kind consideration of a letter by the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti which supported his promotion to the next grade.
The panel was still hearing petitions from the six other monarchs on the cause list at the time of putting this statement together.
