Olukere Of Ikere Ekiti Now Recognized As An Oba In Ekiti State

PRESS STATEMENT

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHITE PAPER ON THE REPORT OF THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE J.B.K ALADEJANA CHIEFTAINCY REVIEW COMMISSION, 2021/ IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF THE ODO-OJA COMMUNITY OF IKERE EKITI AND ITS TRADITIONAL HEAD-OLUKERE.

1. The Government of Ekiti State established the Honourable Justice J.B.K Aladejana Chieftaincy Review Commission (the Commission) in February 2019 in response to agitations from communities across the 16 Local Governments Areas of Ekiti State for the review of the status of their traditional rulers, existing chieftaincy declarations and requests for autonomous status.

2. Specifically, the terms of reference of the Commission include:

• Examine the upgrading and otherwise of recognised chieftaincies,

• Look into the autonomy/ recognition of communities,

• Review the merits of the chieftaincy declarations by agitating communities,

• Investigate the customary laws on appointment of all recognised chieftaincies in the State and make recommendations for possible changes in the existing chieftaincy declarations and also suggest guidelines fir the preparation of such documents,

• Look into issues relating to the status of obas and chiefs, their paraphernalia of office and order of precedence,

• Look into the Chieftaincy laws of the State and make specific and general recommendations on chieftaincy matters in the state,

• Examine the upgrading or otherwise of recognised chieftaincies, review autonomies, make recommendations for recognition of agitating communities as independent towns from their mother communities as well as for chieftaincy declaration

3. Following the submission of the report of the Commission, a white paper committee was constituted in November 2019. The white paper from the report was published in December 2019.

4. The Odo-Oja Community of Ikere-Ekiti submitted a memorandum to the Commission including an application for recognition as an autonomous town and its traditional head as an Oba. The Commission found merit in the application and further affirmed the eligibility of the Odo-Oja Community to be recognised as an autonomous town and its traditional head as Oba.