…says action may trigger communal crisis
The proposed creation of a new Local Council Development Area LCDA in Ikole Local Government has begun to generate controversy as the Elekole in council has raised an eye brow over the naming of the LCDA as Oreniwa.
The agitation of the Elekole in council is contained in a letter to the Governor of Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi dated 5th of August 2022 and extended to the Attorney General, Mr. Olawale Fapounda SAN, the commissioner for Local Government Development and the Speaker Ekiti State House of Assembly, Right Hon. Funminiyi Afuye.
Addressing journalists after submitting the letter to the concerned offices, the Olotin of Ikole Ekiti who is the second in command to the Elekole, Chief Oluwasayo Okunola, the Asolo of Ikole, High Chief Olu Ogunsakin and the Eleishe of Ikole Ekiti, Chief Ezekiel Olanipekun explained that naming the proposed LCDA as Oreniwa would be seen as Precariously Packaged Provocations and fanning the embers of War against the hitherto Peacefully Coexisting People of Ikole Ekiti who have been living Peacefully with her Neighbours for more than One Hundred Years ago.
They explained that the name “ORENIWA LCDA” would rather breeds Contempt, hatred, distrust, astronomical acrimonies and consolidated confusion among the People.
According to them, any attempt to force the Oreniwa name on the council shall be fully resisted with all the naturally endowed resources within their disposal and jurisdiction which also include seeking redeess in court.
They explained that until 1928, all the Seven Communities involved in the proposed Oreniwa LCDA were in their Old Apole Settlements before they were invited and moved to their Present Sites by the then Elekole of Ikole Ekiti, Late Oba Atewogboye Adeleye 1. who graciously gave residency right to them with the aim of building a metropolitan city for rapid development.
The Elekole in council affirmed that the land where the Present lkoyi and Ootunja are located were donated to them by Ilotin and Omodowa Likewise, the land where the Present Asin, Usin, Isaba, Ilamo and Igbonna Communities are located were donated by Asolo Dynasty of Ikole.
In their words:”All these Communities have exhausted the Land donated to them by the late Monarch, they have since been buying Land for their continuous expansion from the indigenes of Ikole Ekiti.
“To worsen the Symbolic Scenario, we have Our Notable Basic Citadel of Learning such as Ansa-ur-Deen High School founded in 1959, St. Mary’s Girls Secondary School established in 1962, Holy Apostolic Secondary School and L. A. West Primary School all existing in the land of Ikole Ekiti Community now to be in “Oreniwa LCDA.
“In addition to this, our Cultural heritage such as UJUJU, a Salient and Spiritual Site where a new Oba Elekole used to be Crowned is located in Ulara, Ikole Ekiti.
“All these legendary Educational Institutions and Cultural Heritage would now be in the newly created “ORENIWA LCDA” the community leaders worried.
They suggested that such LCDA should be named “Ikole South, WEST, IKOLE NORTH WEST as exemplified in most cities with multiple local governments in the country.
The Elekole in Council said they would not have raised an eyebrow but based on the experience of what was witnessed during the Creation of EFON ALAAYE Development Area in the Old Ondo State which later metamorphosed and upgraded to a full fledged Local Government Area.
The community appealed to Governor Kayode Fayemi to use his good office to address and correct the situation.
They also appealed to the Governor not to see their present position as an opposition to his administration or given any Political Misrepresentation or Interpretation saying it is a fight for a non negotiable inalienable Rights that would guarantee the fervently functional freedom for the Social-Economic and Political Development of their People both for now and future generations.
also speaker Ekiti State Youth Parliament, Toba Fatunla urged government to reconsider its decision on the matter so as not to promote disunity among the youths.