Tension has escalated in Ijesa-Isu Ekiti, Ekiti State, following the alleged forceful removal of the Regent, Princess Omobolaji Adeniyi, from the Palace amid the lingering crisis over the selection of a new monarch.
The development came shortly after the Ekiti State Government announced the approval of a new monarch for the town, a decision already being challenged in court by aggrieved contestants.
The incident reportedly sparked outrage among residents who accused some powerful individuals in the town of overstepping their authority and disrespecting traditional institutions.
According to sources in the community, the incident occurred after the regent allegedly raised concerns over moves to destabilise the town amid the lingering dispute over the selection of a new Obanla.
Lamenting her ordeal, the regent alleged that security operatives assaulted, embarrassed, and locked her out of the palace while she attempted to move her personal belongings.
She described the incident as painful, saddening, and undeserved, saying she never imagined that her selfless service to the community would end in what she termed public humiliation.
Princess Adeniyi noted that throughout her period on the throne, she committed herself to the growth and development of Ijesa-Isu, making personal sacrifices to ensure stability in the town.
She put several aspects of her personal life on hold and endured enormous pressure to safeguard the traditional institution and maintain order pending the emergence of a substantive monarch.
The regent lamented that rather than being appreciated for her efforts, she was allegedly treated in a manner she described as degrading and unbecoming of the respect accorded to her office.
Princess Adeniyi alleged that the Chairman of Kajola LCDA, Hon. Ojo Ajayi, orchestrated her ordeal. Ajayi said the crisis began after the state government announced the approval of a new Obanla for the community.
She explained that upon hearing the announcement, she left the hospital in Ado-Ekiti, where she had been receiving treatment, and returned to Ijesa-Isu the following morning to pack her personal belongings from the palace.
“Even though I was not officially told to leave the palace, I did not want the notice to come as a surprise or lead to a rush. That was why I left the hospital to pack my things, even though I was not medically fit that day,” she added.
The regent noted that trouble started when she attempted to remove her personal belongings, including properties belonging to her late father, which she brought to the palace upon her appointment.
She claimed that security operatives, including personnel of the Agro-Marshal and Amotekun Corps deployed to the palace, humiliated and assaulted her and allegedly beat her driver while moving the items.
Princess Adeniyi further noted that it took the intervention of Department of State Services officials before she was allowed to retrieve her clothes and other personal belongings.
Reacting to the allegations, Ajayi denied any involvement in the regent’s ordeal, describing the claims as false and misleading.
He said he neither ordered her removal from the palace nor directed any security operative to harass or prevent her from moving her belongings.
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