Ooni tasks elite on community development

Ekiti monarch seeks chieftaincy law review, local council system reformation

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has charged those he described as privileged elite in the country to join hands with government at all levels to contribute to the development of communities.

The Ooni, who spoke in Erinmope-Ekiti, at the weekend, during the coronation of Obaleo of Erinmope, Oba Sunday Aniyi, lamented Nigerian elite’s lukewarm and no committal posture to charity and issues on development as well as having the erroneous impression that development is solely the responsibility of government.

The monarch said: “This is what I have known for long and observed carefully. Most of the privileged Nigerians don’t like contributing to community development and charity.

“Some people will prefer to hide somewhere and live a low profile life. They believe that government should be the one developing everywhere and this has been the reason the development pace was slow and affecting negatively the poor people.

“Once you consider yourself as a blessed person, it is your duty to help drive community development. You must also contribute to charity so that the poor people around you can feel your impact.”

In his welcome address, Oba Aniyi, who expressed concern about the crises and legal tussles that always dogged the installation of a monarch in Ekiti, advocated a review of chieftaincy law and a declaration to end incessant litigations after the selection and appointment of traditional rulers in the state.

The monarch also urged the government to reignite development programmes like road infrastructure, water facility and schools, that would propel business activities as witnessed over two decades ago in the town.

Oba Aniyi, who described Ekiti as most rancorous in obaship selection tussle in South-West, called for urgent reformation of local council system to enable traditional rulers play more active roles in the administration of the councils.

“Something needs to be done to the chieftaincy law and declaration. The attempt to impose uniformity in the selection process and the unnecessary gratification of bad losers in the current system is making Ekiti the most rancorous in Obaship selection in Yorubaland.

“Currently, there is hardly any Oba that doesn’t get challenged in court, no matter how transparent the selection process might be,” the monarch further said.

“A law needs to be promulgated that will put an end to the act of obtaining frivolous restraining injunctions meant to stampede selection process or coronation ceremony.

“Just as nobody can stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting an election or swearing in of a governor/President, nobody should be able to stop the coronation ceremony of an Oba after being validly appointed by the state government,” he stated.