…as rival monarchs fix same day for festivals
Crisis looms in the ancient town of Ikere in Ekiti State, as two rival monarchs, the Olukere, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, and the Ogoga, Oba Adejimi Adu, have planned two different festivals for the same day.
The two monarchs have been enmeshed in age-long supremacy battle over who is the authentic monarch in the town and it was novel in history for the two Obas to plan two festivals for the same day.
While the Ogoga, a member of Pelu-Pelu, comprising 16 most highly rated Obas in Ekiti branded the Olukere as a mere chief priest and not a king in the town, the Olukere said he remained a king and that his progenitors from the Yoruba cradle, Ile Ife, founded Ikere and the name of the town was coined from his forebear’s name.
The latest tension in the town came to the fore, as the Ogoga planned to celebrate Odun Oba, which had hitherto been celebrated under Odun Ijesu (New Yam Festival), for Saturday, July 26.
This festival, which is coming for the first time, clashes with the
annual Olosunta festival, where Olukere used to play prominent roles by appeasing the gods for the town to be in peace and unity.
Due to this clash, members of the community are now apprehensive, afraid of a bloody clash as the two feuding
monarchs roll out drums in celebration on Saturday.
A high chief in Ikere, who craved anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said he had a premonition that there could be a breakdown of law and order except proper security measures were put in place to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the events.
The source revealed that the Department of State Security, a few
days ago, summoned the two monarchs to a meeting in Ado-Ekiti where commitments were extracted from them on the need to checkmate their supporters to avert crisis.
“They were summoned to a meeting in Ado-Ekiti by the office of the DSS. Olukere personally attended while Ogoga sent a representative. The two had a fruitful meeting with the state service but that doesn’t foreclose crisis from being fomented by hoodlums.
“If you get to Ikere now, Ogoga is upping his game to ensure a lavish and flamboyant Odun Oba while Olukere is also planning the Olosunta to be a big event. The ego and supremacy battle is assuming a dangerous dimension and something urgent must be done”, the chief urged.
When called to confirm the information, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State Command, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said he was not aware of any tension in Ikere.
“There is no tension in Ikere as far as we are concerned. If there is a problem, the police would be the ones to alert the public on the need to be vigilant.
“That the two monarchs are planning different events for the same day doesn’t mean there is tension. In fact, I just spoke with the DPO of the Ikere Division to discuss a particular issue and he didn’t tell me tension was brewing.
“We are saying emphatically that nobody should go to that town under any guise to fan the ember of discord. But as for us, we foresee no tension or crisis in this matter”, Adeyemi said.
Crisis looms in the ancient town of Ikere in Ekiti State, as two rival monarchs, the Olukere, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, and the Ogoga, Oba Adejimi Adu, have planned two different festivals for the same day.
The two monarchs have been enmeshed in age-long supremacy battle over who is the authentic monarch in the town and it was novel in history for the two Obas to plan two festivals for the same day.
While the Ogoga, a member of Pelu-Pelu, comprising 16 most highly rated Obas in Ekiti branded the Olukere as a mere chief priest and not a king in the town, the Olukere said he remained a king and that his progenitors from the Yoruba cradle, Ile Ife, founded Ikere and the name of the town was coined from his forebear’s name.
The latest tension in the town came to the fore, as the Ogoga planned to celebrate Odun Oba, which had hitherto been celebrated under Odun Ijesu (New Yam Festival), for Saturday, July 26.
This festival, which is coming for the first time, clashes with the
annual Olosunta festival, where Olukere used to play prominent roles by appeasing the gods for the town to be in peace and unity.
Due to this clash, members of the community are now apprehensive, afraid of a bloody clash as the two feuding
monarchs roll out drums in celebration on Saturday.
A high chief in Ikere, who craved anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said he had a premonition that there could be a breakdown of law and order except proper security measures were put in place to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the events.
The source revealed that the Department of State Security, a few
days ago, summoned the two monarchs to a meeting in Ado-Ekiti where commitments were extracted from them on the need to checkmate their supporters to avert crisis.
“They were summoned to a meeting in Ado-Ekiti by the office of the DSS. Olukere personally attended while Ogoga sent a representative. The two had a fruitful meeting with the state service but that doesn’t foreclose crisis from being fomented by hoodlums.
“If you get to Ikere now, Ogoga is upping his game to ensure a lavish and flamboyant Odun Oba while Olukere is also planning the Olosunta to be a big event. The ego and supremacy battle is assuming a dangerous dimension and something urgent must be done”, the chief urged.
When called to confirm the information, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State Command, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said he was not aware of any tension in Ikere.
“There is no tension in Ikere as far as we are concerned. If there is a problem, the police would be the ones to alert the public on the need to be vigilant.
“That the two monarchs are planning different events for the same day doesn’t mean there is tension. In fact, I just spoke with the DPO of the Ikere Division to discuss a particular issue and he didn’t tell me tension was brewing.
“We are saying emphatically that nobody should go to that town under any guise to fan the ember of discord. But as for us, we foresee no tension or crisis in this matter”, Adeyemi said.
