Ekiti succession crisis: Kingmakers ask Ooni to intervene after six-month delay

Kingmakers in Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have appealed to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to intervene in the stalled selection of a new Alara, saying the prolonged vacancy is disrupting traditional activities and fuelling concern among youths.

The kingmakers, operating under the Alara-in-Council, want the Ooni to appeal to Governor Biodun Oyebanji to permit them to resume and conclude the selection process, which they said has remained suspended for six months.

The traditional stool became vacant following the death of Oba Adegoke Adeyemi in August 2025 at the age of 82.

The succession process began in April 2026 but has yet to produce a new monarch.

In a statement signed by the head of the kingmakers, High Chief Julius Oladiran Adebayo, and the council’s secretary, High Chief Kolade Oyebade, the community said the intervention of the Ooni would help protect its cultural heritage and traditional institutions.

According to the council, three princes were shortlisted after an Ifa consultation conducted through Baba Araba Elebuibon. Voting by the 12 kingmakers subsequently ended in a six-six tie, leaving the selection deadlocked.

A second round of voting was expected to determine the successful candidate. However, the kingmakers said the state Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs postponed the exercise, and the process had not resumed.

They also alleged that letters sent to the state government seeking permission to complete the selection had not received a response.

The council said the continued vacancy had affected the community’s traditional institutions, with some festivals and rites unable to take place while youths were becoming increasingly restless.

Appealing to the Ooni, the kingmakers cited Aramoko-Ekiti’s historical and cultural ties with Ile-Ife, describing the ancient town as a community founded by descendants of Oduduwa.

They argued that the Alara stool was not merely a local traditional position but part of the wider Yoruba cultural heritage, stressing the importance of resolving the succession dispute in accordance with established customs and the law.

The kingmakers urged the Ooni to use his influence to persuade Governor Oyebanji to authorise their immediate return to the selection process.

They expressed confidence that his intervention would help resolve the impasse peacefully and enable them to complete the process of choosing a new Alara.