Anxiety grips Ekiti ancient town as Monarch’s 4yr absence allegedly fuels rift
By Idowu Adebomi, Ado-Ekiti
The ancient town of Ikole, headquarters of Ikole Local Government Area, is gripped by anxiety over the continuous absence of its traditional ruler, the Elekole of Ikole-Ekiti, Oba Fasiku, since August 2021.
The monarch's conspicuous four-year absence from the palace and the community has created palpable tension among his cabinet members and concerned indigenes, with conflicting reports circulating regarding his precise whereabouts and health status.
An impeccable palace source confidentially informed our correspondent that Oba Fasiku, who ascended the throne on June 24, 2011, has been battling an ailment since February 2020.
He was said to have undergone treatment at a private hospital in the country before traveling abroad for treatment in 2022. While he initially seemed to recover, his sickness allegedly relapsed following complications from surgery. Currently, his health is reportedly deteriorated, necessitating a return abroad for further treatment.
Conflicting accounts persist regarding the King's location. One source claimed Oba Fasiku is hospitalized in a private facility outside Nigeria, while another maintained the monarch had been transferred to a secret location outside the state. Since his departure, the King has left the community's administration entirely to his chiefs.
Sources close to the palace attributed the King's prolonged absence not only to ill health but also to complex internal dynamics.
One source alleged that after losing his wife, the monarch felt he lacked trusted care, compounded by poor eyesight and fear of being poisoned by subordinates, particularly following issues with some chiefs and the deposition of an Iyalojas.
Adding to the tension, the source mentioned that the King had planned to erect a modern town hall on a site previously used as a burial ground for past Elekoles, which was subsequently opened up. Many residents reportedly deemed this act sacrilegious, suggesting this incident might also be connected to his subsequent ill health and forced departure from the community.
These internal disagreements are mirrored in the Elekole-in-Council, where chiefs are reportedly divided and rarely meet, leaving the community in a leadership vacuum.
Indigenes claim the monarch’s absence has deprived Ikole of development benefits and is diminishing the dignity of the throne in the state’s comity of traditional institutions.
Apparently exasperated by the persistent leadership vacuum, a group of concerned Ikole sons under the banner of the Save Ikole Group has formally sought the intervention of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
In a letter allegedly addressed to the governor, the group expressed concern over the community's development, urging him to urgently address the matter and ensure the leadership stool is not considered vacant.
The group, whose letter was co-signed by Chief Alaba Olanipekun, Hon. Segun Adelugba, and several others, claimed that Oba Fasiku has been incapacitated by illness for years.
The letter lamented that the Royal Father has not been seen in public since he left Ikole-Ekiti in August 2021 without official communication from the Elekole-in-Council.
The group argued that the King's inability to defend, protect, and preserve the community, coupled with his family withholding information about his status, has left the entire community without leadership, direction, or growth. The group even claimed its intervention prevented local youths from attacking the chiefs over their silence.
In response, the Second-in-Command to the Elekole and Olotin of Ikole-Ekiti, Chief Oluwasayo Okunola, confirmed that the monarch is suffering from ill health and is receiving medical treatment abroad, but denied any secrecy surrounding the King’s status.
Chief Okunola insisted the people of Ikole-Ekiti are fully aware of Oba Fasiku’s whereabouts, stating the King sought and obtained necessary permissions from the state government before traveling on medical vacation.
He further debunked claims that the monarch was incommunicado, pointing out that Oba Fasiku had addressed the chiefs and a large number of townspeople via virtual means on January 20, 2024.
Regarding the threat of protest, Chief Okunola dismissed the Save Ikole Group's claim of having mediated with youths as "laughable," stating the only recognized body, the Ikole Youth Forum, has denied planning any protest. He concluded that despite the King's absence, "the good sons and daughters of Ikole are still full of joy" over the recent upgrade of the state specialist hospital in the town to a Federal Medical Centre and other ongoing developments.