In Ekiti State, no fewer than ten palaces have come under heavy attack in recent past, with their occupants (monarchs)escaping death by the whiskers. What remains puzzling about these scenarios is the fact that the assaults were made by no other persons than the very people who supposed to guard and protect them. In the last few years, several traditional institutionsin Ekiti state had been attacked leaving many people injured. Just recently,The Arajaka of Igbara-Odo,Oba Edward Jayeola became the latest victim of the attack as irate youths unleashed terror on his palace and made attempt on his life.
Although the monarch escaped unhurt with the help of security men from the Ekiti State Police Command , his Palace was badly damaged and two lives were lost to the incident.
While it is a known fact that the community is embroiled in a protracted kingship tussle ,there were conflicting reports about the main cause of the fracas.
According to an account given by resident who does not want his name in print, he stated that youths were protesting the alleged retrogressiveness brought to the community by the reign of Oba Edward.
Another account said that the youths were specifically embittered by the seeming indifferent of the monarch to their plights.
It was also alleged that section of the town opposed to Oba Edward’s ruler ship took advantage of protest to vent their anger on the palace .
One of the victims, Ayilumo Julius Adeniran popularly known as \’Prince Joe\’ was a 500level student of Federal University of Technology Akure, An unidentified police officer in Igbaraa-Odo division also reported to have died.
In the build up to the crisis the youths were said to have distributed some pamphlets asking the monarch to offer explanations on funds realized in the last celebration of the community’s anniversary .
Governor Ayodele Fayose, who visited the troubled area in company of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe and other security operatives , met with various section of the community.
He said: “This is a very bad development. It is a big shame on the community. I am assuring you that we will get to the root of this matter and ensure that perpetrators are dealt with.
The Ekiti State police command confirmed the death of one of its men in the fracas just as the police have restored normalcy there and also enforced the dusk to dawn curfew .
Confirming the loss of a policeman in the crisis, the Public Relations Officer of the Ekiti Police Command, Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said his body had been deposited in the morgue.
Like other unfortunate cases, The Palace of Onitaji of Itaji- Ekiti,,Oba Adamo Babalola recently escaped being given similar treatment ,when some youths stormed the area in protest of the killing of a man in a disputed boundary.
The victim,Seyi Oladipo was killed on the dispute land , located at Orisunmibare, between Ayede Ekiti and a neighbouring town, Itaji Ekiti.
The situation was said to have sparked protest among Ayede youths, who were said to have violently stormed the palace of their monarch, Oba Mumini Orisagbemi before heading for Oba Adamo Babalola’s palace.
It was gathered that the visibly enraged youths were prevented from attacking the palace due to heavy presence of policemen drafted from Oye Divisional Police Station. Orisunmibare village head, who was accused of firing the gunshot, was said to have fled the scene to an unknown destination. Explaining how the incident happened, one of the youth leaders from the area, Segun Ajayi said: “the people of Orisunmibamire came some years back to require for a portion of land in that area for farming“
In May, 2009 ,the palace of Onisan of Isan, Oba Sunday Ajibaye was razed by suspected arsonists and properties including antiquities and other personal effects worth over N100 million were destroyed.
Apart from the main palace building burnt down by the hoodlums, they also set ablaze a Toyota Camry and Mercedes Benz E-Class cars belonging to the royal father on fire. Crowns and other palace antiquities were also burnt in the attack.
According to the monarch, the assailants were three, two of them wore masks.
It was further gathered that the monarch was being victimised for the support he offered his subject in his bid to become governor.
In that same year. thugs invaded the palace of the Elesure of Esure-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Council Area, Oba Adebanji Ajibola, destroying properties.
About the same time, the palace of the traditional ruler of Ijan-Ekiti, the Onijan of Ijan Ekiti, Oba Samuel Fadahunsi was attacked by youths loyal to a certain political parties.
The alleged recurrent deaths in Emure community, Ekiti State caused some irate youths to go after their monarch, Oba Emmanuel Adebowale Adebayo when they ejected him from the palace.
It was alleged that the angry youths had previously requested audience with the monarch to proffer solution over the strange deaths of about 12 youths in the last two weeks but were ignored.
There was also a violent attack on Alasa of Ilasa-Ekiti in 2012 over regency crisis. The regent ,Princess Jolaade Onipede claimed that some ancestral materials, including the crown of his late father, were looted during the raid
Other palaces that have been torched at one time or the other included,the Ewi’s Palace in Ado-Ekiti,the Oore Palace in Otun-Ekiti.
