Kingmakers in Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have appealed to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to intervene in the stalled selection of a new Alara, as the traditional stool remains vacant six months after the process began.
The kingmakers, operating under the Alara-in-Council, want the Ooni to persuade Governor Biodun Oyebanji to allow them to resume the process and select a new traditional ruler.
In a statement signed by the head of the kingmakers, Julius Oladiran Adebayo, and the secretary, Kolade Oyebade, popularly known as Sajowa, the council warned that the prolonged vacancy was disrupting traditional activities and creating restiveness among youths.
They said the Ooni’s intervention would help preserve the community’s cultural heritage and uphold the traditions governing the Alara stool.
Alara Selection Stalled After Voting Tie
According to the kingmakers, the selection process began in April 2026 in line with the Alara of Aramoko Chieftaincy Declaration and Ekiti State Chieftaincy Law.
The council said three princes were shortlisted following an Ifa divination exercise conducted by Baba Araba Elebuibon.
The 12 kingmakers subsequently voted, but the exercise ended in a deadlock, with each of the leading sides securing six votes.
The council said a second round of voting was expected to resolve the tie. However, it alleged that the state Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs suspended the process, preventing the kingmakers from completing their assignment.
“However, six months later, the process remains suspended after the Honourable Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs postponed it. Our letters to the government have not received a response,” the statement said.
The kingmakers maintained that they had followed the prescribed procedures and wanted permission to reconvene and conclude the selection.
Kingmakers Seek Ooni’s Intervention
The council appealed to the Ooni, describing Aramoko-Ekiti as a community with deep historical and cultural ties to Ile-Ife, regarded as the ancestral home of the Yoruba people.
“As a town founded by descendants of Oduduwa, Aramoko-Ekiti shares an unbroken cultural and spiritual bond with Ile-Ife. Our customs, our crown, and our chieftaincy rites all emanate from Ife,” the statement said.
The kingmakers described the Alara stool as an important part of Yoruba cultural heritage and appealed to the Ooni as a custodian of Yoruba traditions.
“Kabiyesi, we are constrained to run to you as our father and the custodian of Yoruba culture. The stool of Alara remains vacant. Our youths are restive. Our traditional festivals and rites cannot hold,” they said.
They urged the monarch to use his influence to appeal to Governor Oyebanji to authorise the immediate resumption of the selection process.
Community Seeks Resolution to Chieftaincy Dispute
The kingmakers expressed hope that the Ooni’s intervention would help resolve the impasse peacefully and enable the community to install a new traditional ruler.
They also appealed to the governor to ensure that the process complies with the applicable laws and established chieftaincy traditions.
The dispute centres on the unresolved voting tie and the reported suspension of further proceedings. The kingmakers’ statement did not include a response from the state government or the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs.
Until the process resumes and the selection concludes, the Alara stool in Aramoko-Ekiti remains vacant.