The Ekiti State Government has issued strong warnings to traditional rulers within the state regarding the arbitrary exclusion of chiefs from their entitled monthly stipends. This action follows multiple reports of monarchs withholding payments and engaging in practices that undermine the unity and peace of their communities.
In a notable incident, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Monisade Afuye, directed the Alawo of Awo-Ekiti, Oba Abdulazeez Olaleye, to immediately disburse four years’ worth of withheld stipends to certain chiefs. These chiefs had reportedly been denied their payments due to perceived disloyalty stemming from their opposition to Oba Olaleye’s ascension. Mrs. Afuye emphasized that the funds, released by the local council for the chiefs’ upkeep, must not be diverted for other purposes, such as litigation expenses. She stated, “When you spent government’s money wrongly, it is called misappropriation or diversion
Similarly, in Odo Ayedun-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area, the state government intervened in a chieftaincy dispute where Oba Solomon Ajibade was accused of arbitrarily arresting chiefs and withholding their salaries. The Deputy Governor urged the monarch to foster unity and cease actions that could destabilize the community. She highlighted the importance of traditional rulers taking an interest in all cultural festivals and ensuring that stipends meant for chiefs are not diverted for other uses.
Furthermore, in Iworo Quarters, Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area, the government ordered the immediate stoppage of the monthly salary of a traditional chief, Sunday Faluyi. This decision was due to his involvement in actions that contradicted the directives of the Olomuo of Omuo-Ekiti, Oba Noah Omonigbehin, concerning the installation of a new Aro from the Ayaro dynasty. The Deputy Governor stressed that chieftaincy titleholders should be peacemakers and that the government would not tolerate actions that could destabilize communities.
These interventions underscore the Ekiti State Government’s commitment to upholding the rights of traditional chiefs and ensuring that monarchs adhere to established guidelines. The government has made it clear that any form of misappropriation or diversion of funds intended for chiefs’ welfare will not be tolerated, and that fostering unity within communities is paramount.
