From: LAYI OLANREWAJU, Ilorin
The national leadership of Egbe Omo Ibile Igbomina, an umbrella body of sons and daughters of Igbomina land, has disclosed there was no place in the entire race of Igbomina that is named “Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom” stressing that any attempt to re-write the history of the race by any person or groups would be resisted.
The group was reacting to an interview published by a national dailies dated Sunday 5th March 2017 wherein one “Oba Rufus Olarewajuv Ajayi” claimed to be the Oba Gbaja Arolagbade II, the Oba of Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom.
Speaking at a press briefing held on Thursday, National President of the group, Engr. Timothy Adebayo, stated that “in the said publication, Mr. Rufus Olarewaju, mischievously claimed that he is the Oba of Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom. He went further to purportedly give the historical narration of Igbomina people albeit disjointedly and full of lies and fabrications.
“He also attempted a revolutionist history of the Yoruba race where he claimed Yoruba is the official language in the Garden of Eden. He
concluded by saying that the has created an “Gbomina Ekiti Development Fund” for which the sum of N2.5 Billion has been deposited for provision of road network in his imaginary Gbomina-Ekiti Kingdom”.
Engr. Adebayo further stressed that, “With the creation of more local government areas, the Ekiti block of Kwara now has local government councils namely Ekiti and Oke-Ero LGs while Igbomina Kwara has three as aforementioned.
“By the 2004 Local Government amendment laws of Kwara State, each of these local governments now has their separate Traditional Councils; though they still maintain their cultural linkage and identity.
“In Igbomina land, both Kwara and Osun, as at today have seven first class Obas namely; The Orangun of Illa, Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Elese of Igbaja, Olomu of Omu-Aran, Orangun of Oke-Illa, the Olupako of Share and the Olusin of Isanlu-Isin.”
The group however urged the police to arrest and prosecutes Mr. Rufus in a court of competent jurisdiction in order to protect the larger society from falling victims and for the serial crimes he has been committing using traditional institution and impersonating kings and dynasties.
“We want to categorically refute that there is nothing like “Gbomina Ekiti Development Fund” we call on the Law Enforcement Agencies to investigate the claim of Mr. Rufus Olarewaju “, he added.