2022: Oyebanji Won’t Disrespect, Undermine Us, Say Ekiti Monarchs
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has expressed confidence that the state All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the June 18 election, Biodun Oyebanji, won’t treat the monarchs with disrespect if emerged governor.
The Chairman of the state Traditional Rulers Council and Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon, stated this in Ado Ekiti yesterday while playing host to Oyebanji in respect of his gubernatorial ambition.
The monarch, who spoke for the members of the group, described Oyebanji “as a thoroughbred and homegrown Ekiti man with a lot of experiences garnered within and outside the government, which are needed to govern Ekiti State.”
Also speaking, the Owa Ooye of Okemesi-Ekiti, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji, who led the royal blessings for Oyebanji, also corroborated the position of Onisan that the candidate was a true Ekiti son, who had demonstrated high sense of responsibilities and impacted the state and the people positively in various ways.
The royal father prayed for his victory at the polls on June 18, and advised “politicians, especially those following Oyebanji, to be truthful and passionate in their resolve to lift Ekiti State, without undermining the traditional institution, because Oyebanji can’t undermine or disrespect us.”
Commending the monarchs for acting as true stabilisers in the state, Oyebanji assured the traditional rulers that his decision to vie for the governorship position is to reposition the state as well as join hands with the traditional institution to better the lots of the Ekiti people.
Oyebanji, who spoke brilliantly about how Ekiti Obas laboured and sacrificed their comfort in the quest to actualise the creation of the state in 1996, traced his relationship with the traditional institution to 1994, when, as a young university teacher, he submitted a proposal on the creation of Ekiti State, and the roles the Obas could play, to the leadership of Ekiti Obas at the Palace of Ewi of Ado Ekiti.
He pointed out that the early encounter with the Obas and their approval of his proposal led to his appointment, first, as assistant secretary and later as secretary to the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State.
According to him, “I hold Ekiti Obas in high esteem because I had worked with them as a young university teacher and can vouch for their steadfast, commitment and love for our dear state. I can beat my chest anywhere that Ekiti State can boast of progressive and committed traditional rulers because their sacrifices and commitment gave us what we have today as Ekiti State.
“I remember how they travelled by road on several occasions to Abuja; I know how they committed their time and resources and I was a witness to how, lovely and maturely they resolved the debate over choice of state capital without any rancour in the interest of Ekiti State. For all these, it is difficult and impossible for me as an individual not to regard and reference our traditional institution.”
