Youths in Araromi-Obo, a community in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on Friday staged a protest against what they described as a plot to impose a new traditional ruler on the town.
The protesters accused certain people of attempting to manipulate the community’s traditional system through the controversial appointment of warrant chiefs, allegedly to pave the way for their preferred candidate.
Addressing journalists after the demonstration, the President of Araromi-Obo Youths, Mr Sunday Faseluka, stressed that the town already had established kingmakers who had faithfully served for more than two decades.
He listed them as Oisangan, Chief Oluwole Egunjobi; Ejigbo, Chief Joseph Alabi; and Ejisun, Chief Ajayi Sunday.
According to Faseluka, the attempt to replace these chiefs while they are still alive was unconstitutional, illegal, and provocative, warning that such actions could destabilize the peace of the community.
He alleged that those behind the move were acting out of selfish interest and seeking to undermine the integrity of the traditional process.
The group’s secretary, Mr Deji Alabi, also accused the masterminds of plotting to sideline the kingmakers in order to favour Prince Ebenezer Ojo, whom he claimed was being positioned to ascend the throne.
Alabi described the plan as unacceptable, insisting that the people of Araromi-Obo would resist any attempt to subvert their customs and traditions.
“We want to inform the government that Mr Ebenezer Ojo, whom some people are trying to impose on the community, can neither read nor write. In this current dispensation, we do not want an illiterate as a king,” he said.
“What we want is an educated person who can bring development to our town. The appointment of warrant chiefs is only a ploy to favour Mr Ojo, and we, the youths, reject the attempt outright.”
