Ekiti LGA Boss Swears in Advisers Using Ògún

In the Ikere-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State, supervisors and advisers were recently sworn into office with a unique ritual that included both a traditional Ògún totem and the Holy Quran.

Ògún is known as the “god of iron” in African traditional religion. The swearing-in ceremony took place in the conference hall of the Local Government Area (LGA) office, led by chairman Olu Adamolekun, on May 2nd.

During the ceremony, a video shared on social media showed the appointees taking their oaths by holding a cutlass, symbolizing the Ògún totem, in one hand and the Quran in the other.

They were asked to swear loyalty to the Ekiti state governor BAO (Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji), deputy governor Monisade, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and its leaders.

Adamolekun, who administered the oath, instructed them to repeat the following words in Yoruba: “From today, I will be loyal and truthful to BAO and Monisade, APC, and its leaders. I will take instructions from the leaders. If I fail to do so, Ogun or the Quran should strike me down. I will be truthful.” Typically, public officials swear oaths of office using the Quran or Bible to pledge allegiance to the Constitution, but this ceremony required loyalty to the party and its leaders in addition to traditional spiritual invocation.

Here are the newly appointed supervisors and advisers:

Supervisors
1. Femi Ayeni – Are/Aramomi/Ayetoro Ward
2. Olu Ogundipe – Okeruku Ward
3. Idowu Ojo Omowumi – Atiba/Aafin Ward
4. Ajayi Mathew Oladele – Ogbonjana Ward

Advisers
1. Sola Alonge – Odose Ward
2. Boluwaji Daramola – Ilapetu/Ijao Ward
3. Toyin Owolabi – Agbado/Oyo Ward
4. Akojiyan Olamilekan Rasaq – Oke Osun Ward
5. Filani Motunrayo – Afao/Kajola Ward

This unusual ceremony drew attention due to its combination of traditional and religious elements, as well as the focus on swearing loyalty to a political party and its leadership.