Ekiti issues ‘yellow card’ to monarchs over communal dispute

The Ekiti State government has given the Onigbemo of Igbemo-Ekiti, Oba Adewumi Daramola and the Olorun of Orun-Ekiti, Oba Joshua Osalusi, a strong warning against allowing breakdown of law and order in the two neighbouring communities.

Violence erupted between the two communities at the weekend over a bus-stop shed constructed by Orun youths to mark the festive period, which was allegedly burnt down by Igbemo youths who are claiming that the project was erected on their land.

Addressing the traditional rulers in their palaces during an emergency visit to the towns on Monday, the deputy governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, expressed displeasure over disruption of peace and the tension created by the burning down of the bus-stop shed.

According to a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola, Egbeyemi has also summoned the two monarchs to a peace meeting to be held in his office on Wednesday to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

The two communities are located in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

Egbeyemi stressed that he came to issue “yellow card” to the two monarchs and their chiefs on the crisis warning that further breakdown of law and order in the two communities would compel the state to give what he called “red card” to them.

The deputy governor who emphasized that the state government would not tolerate bloodshed, violence, arson and acrimony among communities, maintained that government would only be able to implement its good intention in an atmosphere where peace is sustained.