A monarch in Ekiti State, the Obasaoye of Isaoye Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area, Oba Gabriel Dare Olajide, who is currently on exile on Wednesday appealed to his aggrieved subjects to allow peace to reign in the community, saying he wants to return home.
The monarch, who is a member of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry(MFM), was chased out of the town in August 2018, following an allegation that he was not interested in the traditional religion of his people.
The State Government had given the monarch a two-week ultimatum to make peace with his subjects to prevent breakdown of law and order within the community in December 2018.
But both parties have failed to reach a compromise.
Oba Olajide begged his subjects to jettison the idea of deposing him, assuring them that although he would not participate in ritual activities because of his Christian faith, he has no intention of eradicating traditional practices in the kingdom.
“Going by the provision of Section 38 of the 1999 constitution, I have no power to eradicate any religion, because we have freedom to practice religion of our choice,” the monarch said.
The town had in a petition signed by 14 chiefs and addressed to the council of traditional rulers in the state said they have resolved to remove the king for allegedly abdicating the throne of his forefathers.
In the petition, the chiefs raised 13 offences against Oba Olajide. The allegations include non-performance of traditional rites, harassment of subjects with police, high handedness, abscondment among others.
READ: Residents shut monarch out of palace in Ekiti
Oba Olajide denied the allegations, saying that he would have been killed because of his Christian faith in August 2018 when some irate subjects brought a corpse to his palace and deflated the tyres of his vehicles.
He said: “We just rounded off a revival in my town and few days later, some subjects brought the corpse of a woman to my palace. They nearly destroyed my car and I had to escape through the bush to Ayetoro. Those who came included members of my own ruling house.
“They wrote petition against me to the governor. They said I have absconded. I want to bring change and that was why I came with a religion I believe in, but now they had misunderstood me and said they want a new king.
“Nobody had ever held councilorship position since 1999 or traveled abroad in Isaoye, but we have produced a councilor and our children are now traveling out within two years I came to the throne.
“The Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi and Oore of Otun, Oba Adedapo Popoola called us last year December and appealed that we should go and resolve our differences, but some chiefs decided to frustrate the peace committee I constituted.
“I want to appeal to the government to plead with them to allow peace to reign in the interest of our children and generations coming.”
Oba Olajide who was a sergeant in the Nigeria Police Force disclosed that he ascended the throne in 2017 with a strong vision to rewrite the history of the community and foster development by ensuring that the town moved from its current backward position to that of prosperity.
He appealed to those who have grievances against him to let go and join hands with him to improve the lives of the people in the community.
“Let me also tell those who are struggling for this Obasaoye stool with me to have the belief that only God can enthrone a king,” the monarch added.
