The Ekiti State Government, has directed the Olorin of Orin- Odo, Ikole Local Government Area, Oba Adebisi Ogunjobi, to swiftly commence the payment of monthly stipends to some aggrieved Chiefs in his community.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the order, on Tuesday, while meditating in a disagreement between some Chiefs and Oba Ogunjobi over alleged exclusion from the government’s monthly payroll.
This intervention stemmed from several petitions written by these aggrieved Chiefs over alleged refusal of Oba Ogunjobi to pay their monthly stipends, since February 28, 2018.
Addressing the parties, Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, directed the monarch to pay the aggrieved Chiefs from the month of January, 2025, while part of the outstanding arrears should be defrayed to pacify the affected chiefs.
In resolving the matter, Mrs Afuye was explicit that the stipends for the traditional chiefs can’t be diverted for development purpose, without the consent of the beneficiaries, describing this as a clear negation of the government’s financial statute.
She, however, faulted the traditional chiefs for refusing to cooperate with the monarch to lift the town forward, saying their abstention from traditional meetings was creating a wedge in the wheel of progress.
“I appeal to Kabiyesi to start paying their stipends from this month and part of the outstanding ones should be paid accordingly using internal mechanism. But for you to be paid, go and cooperate with the traditional ruler for the purpose of development and peaceful coexistence.
“I know that not all the outstanding stipends will be paid, but Kabiyesi should look for ways to pay them part of the money to make the chiefs happy .
“Let me say this clearly, spending the chiefs’ stipends on developmental projects without their consent was a misappropriation or diversion of funds. This is not acceptable. You ought to have kept the money in council’s account until they are ready for payment”.
On how the monarch was installed that was instrumental to the crisis in the town, Mrs Afuye, clearly stated that the appointment and installation of Oba Ogunjobi were valid in the face of the law, and that the aggrieved Chiefs should start cooperating with him.
Also lending his voice to the matter, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, Hon. Ojo Atibioke, said the installation of Oba Ogunjobi as Olorin of Orin Odo enjoyed government’s approval, advising that all the feuds surrounding the matter should be resolved amicably.
The Commissioner urged the monarch to swiftly commence a trouble shooting process and bring all tendencies together to attract development to the town.
In his testimony, the Secretary of the Traditional Council in Ikole Local Government, Alhaji Suberu Suleiman , revealed that all the monies under contention, were paid into the traditional council’s accounts and that the council was not responsible for the chiefs’ exclusion .
Alhaji Suleiman stated that the council had not defaulted in any way regarding the payment of stipends to the petitioners.
Speaking to the petition on behalf of the petitioners, the Olomodorin of Orin- Odo, Chief Samuel Awoseemo, claimed that eight members of Olorin-in-Council were excluded from payment, with one of them now deceased.
Chief Awoseemo agreed that there was division in the town over how Oba Ogunjobi was installed against their interests, which he said forced them to abstain from the palace’s meetings.
Responding, the monarch promised to make peace with the aggrieved Chiefs and as well heed the government’s advice on the payment of the chiefs’ stipends.
Oba Ogunjobi, however, reiterated that the chiefs would be paid as directed if they show commitment to cooperate and respect his leadership.