Community News
Aramoko: Ekiti approves installation of first female regent
Written By: Precious Owolabi
24 Aug 2025 02:35 AM
Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti – For the first time in history, and principally based on the request of stakeholders, the Ekiti State Government on Friday formally granted the request of Aramoko Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government, to begin the practice of installing a female Regent to temporarily fill the vacant Alara stool.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, announced this on Friday in Aramoko Ekiti while interacting with stakeholders over the controversy surrounding the attempt to install a female Regent, which deviates from longstanding practice.
The stool became vacant following the demise of Oba Olu Adegoke Adeyemi, from the Arakale Ruling House, on August 9, 2025.
Based on the request letter forwarded to the government and signed by the deceased monarch, Oba Adeyemi, and other stakeholders on April 23, 2015, the town contended that the practice by which a male Chief, adorned in royal regalia with a beaded crown, would be sitting on the Alara stool, was strange to Yoruba culture.
Addressing stakeholders at an extended meeting convened to resolve the logjam, Mrs Afuye, in a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the approval was in strict alignment with the new Alara Chieftaincy Declarations 2015, which had been approved and gazetted by the government.
Mrs Afuye added that a change in the traditional practice was undertaken at the behest of the community, which spearheaded the move through the last Alara, and was adopted by the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, considered by the State Executive Council, and duly approved by the government.
Harping on the need for unity and peace in the town, Mrs Afuye insisted that the community, with its rich culture and history, must strictly adhere to the new Chieftaincy Declarations, which stipulated that the appointment of a female Regent should be embraced.
She assured that the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji would not forcefully impose anyone as a king or Regent, but would also not bend the law to favour anyone in the installation of a traditional ruler.
“This new Alara Chieftaincy Declaration was done to avert crisis in this town. Not even your governor can change your declarations. Only a substantive king and stakeholders can change it.
“With what we have read out to all of you in the new Chieftaincy Declarations, you can now install a female child of the immediate past king as the Regent to serve for a period of three to six months as the first option. If this cannot be achieved, you can pick from his ruling house.
“It was not even the late king that did it, but the entire town. I learnt the last male occupant installed into the position nearly divided the town, and that accounted for why you agreed that a female Regent would be the first option.
“The meeting where the decision was taken was a well-attended one. All the chiefs were there, the representatives of the ruling houses were there, and other illustrious indigenes. The letter to the government was duly signed by all the required parties.
“Now that you have all agreed to this new order, because nothing lasts forever, the government will soon announce the name of your preferred candidate as the female Regent when you forward it to us.”
Saluting the government for being proactive in nipping the crisis in the bud, the Second-in-Command to Alara, Chief Diran Adebayo, commended the Deputy Governor for going into the nitty-gritty of the issue by tracing the trajectory of how the declaration was made.
Chief Adebayo applauded the government’s impartiality and urged all the indigenes of Aramoko Ekiti to abide by the new approval.
At the parley, Prince Olufemi Aladeloye represented the Olokun Ruling House, Prince Olusola Samuel stood in for the Agbagba Royal Dynasty, while Prince Samuel Adefioye Adeuyi represented the Arakale Royal Lineage.
Speaking for the Ruling Houses, Prince Olu Aladeloye said they totally agreed with the review and adoption of a female Regent in their traditional practice.
“What the government approved for us meets our yearnings and we are all happy. If they divide this town into ten portions, I know that over nine and a half portions agreed with this option of a female Regent.”
A member of the House of Assembly, representing Ekiti West Constituency 1, Hon. Karim Agunbiade, posited that the step taken by the government signposted that Governor Oyebanji’s administration was proactive and proficient in crisis management.
“This government has not disappointed us. We thank God that we have a governor and deputy who are very effective. If not for this intervention, nobody knows what would have happened. We appreciate this timely approval and intervention.”
Dignitaries at the peace parley included the Chairman of Ekiti West Local Government, Hon. Moses Omojola; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, Mrs Olabisi Akindele; her colleague in the Deputy Governor’s Office, Mr Abayomi Opeyemi; over 40 chiefs; representatives of the three Ruling Houses; among others.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, announced this on Friday in Aramoko Ekiti while interacting with stakeholders over the controversy surrounding the attempt to install a female Regent, which deviates from longstanding practice.
The stool became vacant following the demise of Oba Olu Adegoke Adeyemi, from the Arakale Ruling House, on August 9, 2025.
Based on the request letter forwarded to the government and signed by the deceased monarch, Oba Adeyemi, and other stakeholders on April 23, 2015, the town contended that the practice by which a male Chief, adorned in royal regalia with a beaded crown, would be sitting on the Alara stool, was strange to Yoruba culture.
Addressing stakeholders at an extended meeting convened to resolve the logjam, Mrs Afuye, in a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said the approval was in strict alignment with the new Alara Chieftaincy Declarations 2015, which had been approved and gazetted by the government.
Mrs Afuye added that a change in the traditional practice was undertaken at the behest of the community, which spearheaded the move through the last Alara, and was adopted by the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, considered by the State Executive Council, and duly approved by the government.
Harping on the need for unity and peace in the town, Mrs Afuye insisted that the community, with its rich culture and history, must strictly adhere to the new Chieftaincy Declarations, which stipulated that the appointment of a female Regent should be embraced.
She assured that the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji would not forcefully impose anyone as a king or Regent, but would also not bend the law to favour anyone in the installation of a traditional ruler.
“This new Alara Chieftaincy Declaration was done to avert crisis in this town. Not even your governor can change your declarations. Only a substantive king and stakeholders can change it.
“With what we have read out to all of you in the new Chieftaincy Declarations, you can now install a female child of the immediate past king as the Regent to serve for a period of three to six months as the first option. If this cannot be achieved, you can pick from his ruling house.
“It was not even the late king that did it, but the entire town. I learnt the last male occupant installed into the position nearly divided the town, and that accounted for why you agreed that a female Regent would be the first option.
“The meeting where the decision was taken was a well-attended one. All the chiefs were there, the representatives of the ruling houses were there, and other illustrious indigenes. The letter to the government was duly signed by all the required parties.
“Now that you have all agreed to this new order, because nothing lasts forever, the government will soon announce the name of your preferred candidate as the female Regent when you forward it to us.”
Saluting the government for being proactive in nipping the crisis in the bud, the Second-in-Command to Alara, Chief Diran Adebayo, commended the Deputy Governor for going into the nitty-gritty of the issue by tracing the trajectory of how the declaration was made.
Chief Adebayo applauded the government’s impartiality and urged all the indigenes of Aramoko Ekiti to abide by the new approval.
At the parley, Prince Olufemi Aladeloye represented the Olokun Ruling House, Prince Olusola Samuel stood in for the Agbagba Royal Dynasty, while Prince Samuel Adefioye Adeuyi represented the Arakale Royal Lineage.
Speaking for the Ruling Houses, Prince Olu Aladeloye said they totally agreed with the review and adoption of a female Regent in their traditional practice.
“What the government approved for us meets our yearnings and we are all happy. If they divide this town into ten portions, I know that over nine and a half portions agreed with this option of a female Regent.”
A member of the House of Assembly, representing Ekiti West Constituency 1, Hon. Karim Agunbiade, posited that the step taken by the government signposted that Governor Oyebanji’s administration was proactive and proficient in crisis management.
“This government has not disappointed us. We thank God that we have a governor and deputy who are very effective. If not for this intervention, nobody knows what would have happened. We appreciate this timely approval and intervention.”
Dignitaries at the peace parley included the Chairman of Ekiti West Local Government, Hon. Moses Omojola; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Chieftaincy and Home Affairs, Mrs Olabisi Akindele; her colleague in the Deputy Governor’s Office, Mr Abayomi Opeyemi; over 40 chiefs; representatives of the three Ruling Houses; among others.
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