Chieftaincy dispute: Ekiti chiefs accused deputy gov of unruly behaviour

Some prominent chiefs in the Ikole area of Ekiti State have accused the deputy governor of the state, Bisi Egbeyemi, of treating them with disdain and disrespect during a meeting to resolve a chieftaincy dispute in the community.

The chiefs; Sayo Okunola, (Olotin), Tunde Ogunleye (Aremo), Olu Ogunsakin (Asolo), and M. Okunola (Sajowa), in a statement made available to The Star on Wednesday, said it was displeasing that the deputy governor could insult them openly at a meeting held on Tuesday.

They said Egbeyemi was “more or less acting like a god”, by consistently shouting at them and walking out on them in the middle of the discussion and during mildest protest.

Chief Tunde Ogunleye, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, said: “We frown at the treatment melted on us (Ikole-Ekiti High Chiefs) by the Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, his office on 16th August 2022.

“The deputy governor had invited some High Chiefs from Ikole-Ekiti over a chieftaincy dispute and we honoured the invitation.

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“It was quite displeasing how the deputy governor could not accord any courtesy to us and worst still, melted insults on us, including a 93 year-old man who was with us.

“If the chiefs could be peace loving enough to honour the deputy governor’s invitation to a supposed heart-to-heart talk, courtesy demands that the deputy governor reciprocates such respect.

“He consistently shouted at us in the middle of the discussion and just because of a minor disagreement, he walked out on us.

“It is highly disappointing that a man elected to serve the people of Ekiti State could walk out on representatives of the Elekole and the entire people of Ikole Ekiti.

“This is distasteful and the height of insults not only to the chiefs present but to the Elekole-in-council that we represented, and we hereby demand unreserved apology and an assurance that such will not repeat itself.”

The Star