The Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju, has been formally inaugurated as the Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The state governor, Ayodele Fayose, charged him to use his experience to serve the state.
At the inauguration of the reconstituted council, in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, Governor Fayose also charged traditional rulers in the state to join the government in its efforts to ensure continuity of good governance by his government, as the state goes into an election in 2018 and to ensure security in their respective domains.
In an address, Fayose said “you will agree with me that the 2018 around the corner, hence all hands must be on the deck to ensure that the process of selecting a new government is not stalled unnecessarily.
“There is the need for Ekiti people to be on the same page with this administration be enduring the continuity of the good works that it had started for the sustenance of the ongoing development of the state.”
He urged the monarchs to “as the chief security officers of your domains, I enjoin you and your subjects to be security conscious,” and added that “you are to maintain perfect peace in your domain as development can only take place in a peaceful environment.”
Oba Ademolaju in his acceptance speech, thanked Governor Fayose for the opportunity to serve as the chairman of the council, and noted that it was “a challenge for the promotion of unity among the royal fathers and the entire people of the geographical entity called Ekiti State both at home and in the diaspora.”
The monarch noted that the Council of Obas, “according to Ekiti State Council of Obas Law of 2000 to, among other things, advise the government on matters relating to customary law or cultural affairs, inter-communal relations, and maintenance of public order within the state.”
Oba Ademolaju explained that there were four standing committees in the council namely Chieftaincy, Local Government, Education and Utility but noted that none of the committees was “addressing agriculture which Ekiti people need to explore at this time.”
He, therefore, hinted that he would, “through the Council of Obas seek your approval for two additional committees namely: Agriculture Committee to work with you at the council level on revitalising agriculture at the community level and Diaspora Committee to work with you on encouraging our sons and daughters to come home and join in the struggle for an accelerated indutrialisation of their fatherland.”
The new Council of Obas’ Chairman called for the support of his fellow traditional rulers for him to achieve success in his new role.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ayodele Alabi, said the state government had selected 25 rotational members to join the 32 permanent members to run the affairs of the State Traditional Council for the next two years.
Alabi enjoined “the newly appointed members to justify the confidence reposed in them by using their wealth of knowledge and experience to assist the state government to move the state to higher level.”
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