A community-based group in Ekiti State, Efon Alaaye Development League, has faulted Governor Kayode Fayemi and the Ekiti State government over the move to carve out a community called Ahun-Ekiti from Efon-Alaaye.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and jointly signed by the President-General, EDL, Bode Fagbemiro; and Secretary-General, Afolabi Ige, the group alleged that the move is a subject of pending litigation in two separate courts.
The statement was titled ‘Official Press Statement by the Efon Alaaye Development League on the Purported Recognition of ‘Ahun Ekiti’ from the Efon-Alaaye Community.’
It partly read, “The league received with the rudest shock what obviously looks Iike a rumour for lack of any political value, the purported recognition of an ‘Ahun Ekiti’ from the ancient Efon-Alaaye community. Our shock was aggravated further because the issue is sub judice as the matter is a part of the subjects of cases pending both at the State High Court in Ado-Ekiti and the Supreme Court of Nigeria vide Suite SC/CV/1063/2021.
“The State Government had earlier in its white paper on the report of Justice Aladejana Committee noted that the case of Efon-Alaaye community vs. Ahun cannot be treated because of court cases. It is, therefore, worrisome that a democratically elected government can, in a twist, contemptuously commit such an affront against the highest court in the land.
“We state without equivocation that we stand with Kabiyesi, the Alaaye of Efon-Alaaye, HRM, Oba (Dr.) Emmanuel Adesanya Aladejare, PhD., CON, that Efon-Alaaye is one indivisible and indissoluble entity with recorded history dating back to the 11th Century A.D. This position is the position of the league and all Efon-Alaaye people and we are prepared to defend it.
“We call on the Ekiti State government to take cognisance of the cases in courts and restrain itself on this matter in the interest of peace, as we shall continue to appeal for calm in the town to the best of our ability but without guarantee in the meantime.”
