THE Ekiti State government announced autonomy for five separate communities across the state on Friday, following the end of judicial processes involved.
The announcement was made in the state capital of Ado-Ekiti by Mr. Olayinka Olabode, the chief press secretary to Governor Fayemi, who said that the affected communities had petitioned government through the House of Assembly and the executive council.
The communities are Ejiyan community, formerly part of Ipoti-Ekiti in the Ijero Local Government Area; Orun community, formerly of Igbemo-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area; Omuo Oke, community, formerly of the Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area; Kota community, also formerly of Omuo-Ekiti in the same local government area of Ekiti East and Ijaro community, formerly of Iludun-Ekiti in Ilejemeje Local Government Area.
“By their recognition, the five communities will now enjoy the status of autonomous communities, with recognized leadership structure in line with the laws of the state,” read the statement made by Mr. Olabode on Friday.
The news no doubt will come with great pleasure for the communities granted autonomy, as some communities like Kota have been agitating for autonomy for quite some time, even as others who opposed their autonomy fought to prevent it.
Although politics and developmental projects are influence some of the demands for autonomy by these communities, many of them also have distinct cultural and historical identities that define them from their previous ‘mother community’.
The Ekiti State government has used the occasion to urge the communities to co-exist peacefully.