Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom does not exist— Omo Ibile Igbomina

A socio-cuktural association, known as the Omo Ibile Igbomina on March 21, 2017, held a press conference in Ilorin, capital of Kwara State and dismissed as tissue of lies, all the statement credited to Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi, who claimed to be the Oba of Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom. It was stressed at the conference that there is no place like Gbomina-Ekiti, either in Ekiti State or Kwara State.

National President of the body, Mr. Timothy Adebayo, who addressed the conference, said the Igbomina people were surprised by the claims of Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi, who allegedly go by the title of “Obagaja Arolagbade II Oba of Gbomina, a non-existing kingdom.

Adebayo, who was flanked by other Igbomina indigenes, such as Teju Oguntoye, who is the Vice-chairman of the Omo Ibile Igbomina and Chief P.A.O. Olorunishola (SAN), said, ordinarily, the body would have ignored Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi’s antics, as he is known for such funny businesses, but for the very serious issues contained in his interview with the Palace Watch.

Adebayo said Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi is, indeed, an indigene of Igbomina from a place called “Rore in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.” He explained that the Omo Ibile Igbomina is constrained to correct the falsehood Ajayi brandished in his interview of March 5, 2017, where he said among other things, that, he was the Oba of Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom and purportedly went ahead to give a false history of the Yoruba race, where he claimed that Yoruba is the official language spoken in the Garden of Eden. Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi concluded in that same interview that he has created a “Gbomina-Ekiti Development Fund,” which now has the sum of N2.5b deposited in a bank account for the provision of road networks in his imaginary Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom.

Adebayo explained that the Omo Ibile Igbomina, the only accredited Cultural Association of all Igbomina people in Kwara and the Diaspora decided to hold the press conference to put the records straight in the interest of the unsuspecting public, who might be swindled by Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi, who is not an Oba anywhere.

He said it is pertinent to state ab initio that there is no territory known within and outside Kwara State that is called “Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom.” This so-called kingdom neither exists in Kwara State nor in Osun State, where they have Igbomina Land.

In his explanation, Adebayo said there are presently three Local Government Areas in Kwara State, where Igbomina people are located, namely Irepodun, Ifelodun and Isin, while in the present day Osun State, there are two Local Government Areas, Ila and Ifedayo also occupied by the Igbomina people. He said before the 1976 Local Government reform, there used to be Igbomina/Ekiti Division in Kwara State. During the period earlier mentioned, Igbomina Traditional Rulers in Igbomina-Ekiti usually held their meetings at Ajase-Ipo, under the Chairmanship of Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, and whenever these meetings held in both Kwara and Osun states, Obas from both states would discuss matters of common interests to the two groups. But with the creation of more Local Government Areas, the Ekiti block of Kwara State now has two Local Government Areas, now known as Ekiti and Oke-Ero LGAs, while the Igbomina people of Kwara State retained three Local Government Areas.

He said through the 2004 Local Government amendment laws of Kwara State; each of these local government areas now has separate Traditional Councils, even though they still maintain their cultural linkages and identity with the Igbomina people of Kwara State.

According to him, the Igbomina land in both Kwara and Osun States presently have seven First Class Obas, who are: the Orangun of Illa, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, the Elese of Igbaja, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, the Orangun of Oke-Illa, the Olupako of Share, and the Olusin of Isanlu Isin. Each of these Obas presides over the Traditional Council meeting in their Local Government Areas. But during the meeting of all Igbomina Obas in Kwara State, Olupo of Ajase-Ipo presides over such, while the Orangun of Illa presides over a similar meeting in Osun State.

He said based on the above facts, the Omo Ibile Igbomina is saying that Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi is hallucinating and all his claims are fallacious. The body explained that the only facts they have about Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi is that he is truly a lawyer, and was born into one of the ruling families in Rore. But as far as they know, Rufus has never been a Chief; talk less of being an Oba. The reigning king in the place, where he is born, and who is hale and hearty, is Oba Ezekiel Olawale Oyewole, who has been on the throne for the past 10 years.

Interestingly, while writing this story, Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi called Palace Watch and was confronted with all the issues raised at the press conference. But Rufus Olarewaju Ajayi said he was and is still the Oba of Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom, and that his kingdom exists. He said his formal installation as the Oba of Gbomina-Ekiti held on December 30, 2015 at 9 a.m. at His Royal Highness Oba Fadolapo Square, Waju Ile Oluju RORE Ita Ile-Aganna. He said before then, his traditional rites of installation and oath taking was done at 5.00 hour a.m. at Ila-Orangun. He said he is standing by each line and all the content of the interview he granted The Palace Watch in March 5, 2017.