Residents of Ikere Ekiti trooped out in their large numbers on Wednesday to stage a peaceful protest and demanded the unconditional release of the Olukere Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin.
The residents described the murder case against the king as politically -motivated by the state government to dent his image.
Related Articles
The Olukere , Oba Ganiu Obasoyin, was in December remanded in custody for the alleged murder of one Femi Kolade in a reprisal on Christmas Day.
A few hours after the protest , the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti , Oba Adu Adejimi Alagbado, and the Ogoga -in-Council announced the proscription of the title of Olukere .
Obasoyin has been demanding his staff of office from the state government and recognition as a full -fledged king and founder of Ikere, a situation which had pitted him against the Ogoga and some prominent sons of Ikere.
It was gathered that Obasoyin led a team of his loyalists and some men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad to a place in Ado Ekiti for a reprisal against some suspected thugs who allegedly attacked his new hotel and destroyed some facilities there .
The residents marched round the sacred tree at the heart of the town where one of the high chiefs , Folusho Olowolafe , addressed them.
Olowolafe urged the residents to exercise patience, noting that efforts were in top gear to ensure the release of the monarch .
The protesters, who were mostly traditional chiefs , community leaders , aged men and women, sang solidarity songs, and carried placards with various inscriptions including “ We demand the release of our King , ” “ Government should allow peace to reign in Ikere,” and “ We demand Fayose to release our kabiyesi to us now. ”
The Eselemo of Ikere-Ekiti, Chief Adeyemi Afolayan , said, “The protest is in respect of our Oba, the Olukere of Ikere, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, Okomolese, who is currently in custody in Ado -Ekiti over trump up charges against him . The people are not happy about it . They want him released with immediate effect .”
The protesters appealed to the Federal Government to wade into the crisis pervading the town before it escalated .
But announcing the proscription of the Olukere chieftaincy title , the Secretary to the Ogoga in Council and the Odofin of Ikere Ekiti, Chief James Alonge, who read Ogoga ’ s address to newsmen at the palace on Wednesday, said Olukere was never a title in Ikere land.
The post Ekiti Youths Rise up to protest murder charge against their traditional ruler appeared first on JoelsBlog.
