The Ekiti State Government has called on traditional rulers to prioritise unity in their domains, cautioning that internal conflicts can stall developmental progress. This appeal was delivered by Deputy Governor Monisade Afuye during a courtesy visit by the newly installed Obanla of Ijesa-Isu, Oba David Olusegun Ateji, in Ado Ekiti.
Oba Ateji, from the Omotoyo Royal Dynasty, was appointed by the state government last week to succeed the late Oba Oso Gabriel Adeniyi, who passed away in September 2024. His coronation followed a selection process the state described as transparent and devoid of imposition.
Addressing the Obanla-in-council, Deputy Governor Afuye, represented by a statement from her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, urged the monarch to reach out to all aggrieved parties, particularly his opponents in the selection contest. She stressed that a successful and development-focused reign depends on inclusive leadership and national unity within the community.
“You must know that any infighting can slow down the level of development,” Afuye stated, advising the new king not to label anyone an enemy but to use his position to unify his people. She linked lasting peace to the community’s ability to overcome the contentious period preceding his emergence and to attract sustained progress.
Responding, Oba Ateji commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his respect of the traditional institution and the integrity of the selection process. He assured that his community fully supports the governor’s second-term ambition and that he has already initiated reconciliation efforts with those who contested the throne.
“Ijesa-Isu belongs to all of us, and we have to build it together,” the monarch said, pledging to deepen the developmental foundation laid by his predecessor without alienation or vindictiveness.
The exchange underscores the Ekiti State administration’s emphasis on collaborative traditional leadership as a cornerstone for local development. It also highlights the delicate balance new monarchs must strike between asserting authority and healing divisions in contested successions, a dynamic critical to social stability and project implementation in Nigeria’s local governance structure. The government’s direct counsel to the Obanla signals an expectation that traditional institutions will actively model the unity required for statewide advancement.
