INDIGENES of Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti State have appealed to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to intervene in the suspension of the selection process for a new Alara, urging Governor Biodun Oyebanji to allow the kingmakers to conclude the exercise.
The appeal followed a six-month delay in the process, which the Alara-in-Council said had left the traditional stool vacant and disrupted cultural activities in the community.
In a statement by the Asao of Aramoko-Ekiti, High Chief Julius Oladiran Adebayo (head of kingmakers) and the Sajowa of Aramoko-Ekiti, High Chief Kolade Oyebade (secretary), the kingmakers said the community had written to the state government over the matter, but had yet to receive a response.
They urged the Ooni, whom they described as the custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition, to appeal to the governor to grant the kingmakers’ permission to reconvene and complete the selection process.
According to the kingmakers, the process began in April 2026, in accordance with the Alara of Aramoko Chieftaincy Declaration and the Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law.
They explained that three princes were shortlisted, following an Ifa consultation conducted through Baba Araba Elebuibon, while voting by the 12 kingmakers ended in a tie, with six votes each.
They added that a second round of voting was expected to resolve the deadlock, but was postponed by the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, leaving the process suspended.
The kingmakers said the prolonged vacancy had affected the community’s traditional institutions, adding that youths were becoming restive and some festivals and traditional rites could not be held.
They stressed that Aramoko-Ekiti shared historical and cultural ties with Ile-Ife as a town founded by descendants of Oduduwa, as the selection of a new Alara was significant to the preservation of its customs and tradition.
The kingmakers expressed confidence that the Ooni’s intervention would help resolve the matter peacefully and strengthen the cultural relationship between Aramoko-Ekiti and Ile-Ife.
They also expressed confidence in Governor Oyebanji’s respect for the law and traditional institutions, urging the state government to permit the completion of the selection process.