The Association of Traditional Chieftaincy Title Holders, Ekiti State Chapter, has appealed to the State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, to fulfil the promise of providing a befitting accommodation, made to the association during his electioneering campaign in 2022.
The Chairman and Asolo of Ikole-Ekiti, Chief Oluwole Ogunsakin, who spoke with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti ahead of the launching of the N500 million building called Ule Ujoye, said the association, which has been in existence for almost three decades, has been occupying a rented space without a befitting secretariat.
He explained that the association is a coming together of the original Chiefs who work with traditional rulers in various communities across the state, “compromising male and female for the progress, unity, maintenance of cultures and traditions in the communities for advancement of the state.”
He said the event, scheduled for Saturday, 19 April 2025, will have the State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, as special guests.
Ogunsakin also added that the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, who happens to be the grand patron of the association in Ekiti, and the Chairman of the Council of Obas in the State, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti, have given their nod to the project.
On his part, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Chief Gbenga Agbona, the Elemo of Oke-Emo in Ilawe-Ekiti, noted that the role of traditional chiefs in each community is to complement the efforts of the traditional rulers.
He said that if they have their own secretariat in place, it would also serve, among other purposes, as an event centre where revenue can be generated to assist members in need when it is fully operational.
“We believe when we come together with our numerical strength, apart from social networking, we would have roles to play in complementing whatever our Monarchs are doing.
“In terms of security, we can exchange ideas on how a particular community is being run. If the chiefs can come together, it will go a long way to help the State, as is being done in other States. We want to have our own edifice,” he said.
Agbona said the event, which would be chaired by Senator Bamidele, would also have Senators Yemi Adaramodu and Cyril Fasuyi as chief launchers, and that all members of the House of Representatives from the State would serve as Co-Launchers.
According to him, “They are our sons. We believe they can seize the opportunity to assist us in building the edifice. We are not in contention with anybody. We believe we should come together and see what we can do to help ourselves, to help the State, and to help our kabiyesis.”
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