There are strong indications that there is raging dispute in Ikere-Ekiti over who should be appointed as the regent following the demise of the Ogoga, Oba Adegoke Adegboye.
The late first class monarch from Akayejo dynasty-one of the three ruling houses in the town, died after a brief illness at age 85 on August 22.
There are reports that two daughters of the late monarch are both bent on being the successor.
A prominent indigene of the town, who craved anonymity revealed to journalists that one of the princesses was the preferred candidate and had been selected as possible successor, while another who had the backing of some chiefs had kicked against the selection.
The source revealed that, “There is serious unrest now in the community, particularly in the palace. The eldest daughter of our departed king is claiming that handpicking any of the princesses was against the tradition.
“All the children of Oba Adegboye met and resolved that Ayooye should be the Regent. But the eldest daughter kicked against such step. She was being backed by some few princes as well. She claimed that the eldest daughter is the only person permitted by tradition. This has been causing serious disquiet in the palace,” the source added.
But the traditional Prime Minister of the town and Sapetu of Ikere-Ekiti, Chief Michael Shittu, said nobody had been anointed as the regent.
Quoting from the Intelligence Reports on traditional Issues written in 1933 by the former District Officer, Ikere Ekiti under the old Ondo Province, Mr N.A.C.Weir, Shittu said it was wrong for anybody to claim that only the first daughter could be appointed the Regent of the town.
He insisted that the death of Oba Adegboye had automatically transferred the executive powers to him as the second-in-command and the head of kingmakers, adding that nobody could be installed the Regent without his consent.
He said, “The fight over regency is needless because she has no role to play. She cannot exercise executive power, but only appointed to fill the vacant stool to attend to palace matters. She cannot even appear in public because that is my responsibility for now.
“The kingmakers can go ahead and appoint even a man as the Regent, because men had been appointed as regents in the past and that makes. Ikere Ekiti is very special and different to other towns in Ekiti in terms of regency.”
Shittu promised to raise a formidable team with other members of Ogoga-in-Council to checkmate whoever might want to use the obaship tussle, to plunge the town into crisis.
He also vowed that nobody would be allowed to use the opportunity to distort history in a way capable of triggering crisis in the town.