Oyebanji won’t treat you like 2nd-class citizens, dep gov assures Ekiti regents
By Ayodele Adesanmi
The Ekiti State deputy governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, has assured the regents superintending over some communities where there are vacancies in their traditional stools of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s readiness to prioritise their welfare and accord them respect as custodians of culture.
The deputy governor maintained that the governor won’t treat them like second-class citizens or starve them of their statutory entitlements, describing the positions they occupied as strategic to peace and development of the state.
Mrs. Afuye gave the assurance while playing host to regents of some communities who visited her office in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
At the meeting, the traditional rulers, who came under the auspices of Body of Regents, Ekiti State, called for the restoration of their suspended salaries, while also pleading with government to ensure upward review of their allowances, so as to be able to withstand the current economic realities.
The deputy governor, in a statement by her media aide, Victor Ogunje, ascribed the stability and peace being enjoyed in the state to the strong and unwavering synergy between the government and traditional rulers.
She saluted the regents for their sense of patriotism, sacrifices and cooperation with Governor Oyebanji-led government “to stabilise the state and make it an epicentre of development.”
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Reeling out the areas where Governor Oyebanji had demonstrated respect for the institution, Mrs. Afuye stated that the newly-constructed Traditional Rulers’ Chamber, non-interfering with selection and installation of obas and stringent implementation of the Regency Law were part of the policies that had buoyed royalty in the scheme of things.
She added that those who were facing challenges among them were chiefly those who had spent beyond six months prescribed for regents by the Ekiti State Regency Law.
“Governor Oyebanji is aware of all the challenges you are facing in your domains, particularly those who have stayed beyond the time stipulated in the Regency Law, but this shouldn’t be blamed on you because you are not the kingmakers.
“We are quite aware that some of you are facing those challenges, because we have some cases pending in courts that are stalling the installation of substantive monarchs and you have to occupy the vacuum, pending the time a new set of monarchs will be installed.
“So, I believe you must be treated like kings, because you are performing their roles. I will communicate your requests to the governor. When you exceed the six months prescribed by law, the government ought to be paying you, because staying on that thrones beyond that time is not your making,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the body’s president and regent of Araromi-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of the state, Princess Funmilayo Adesua, itemised their demands to include the reinstatement of their terminated salaries and upward review of allowances to be able to meet the current economic situation.
