Divine Allegiance: Ekiti LGA Appointees Sworn In With Ògún Idol and Quran
In an unprecedented ceremony, the local government area of Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State witnessed its newly appointed supervisors and advisers taking oaths of office in a manner that has sparked widespread attention. The officials were sworn in using not only the Quran but also an Ògún totem, symbolizing the traditional “god of iron,” during a ceremony held on May 2.
The event, which took place at the conference hall of Olu Adamolekun, the LGA chairman, was captured in a video that has since gone viral. It shows the appointees each holding a cutlass, representing Ògún, in one hand, and the Quran in the other, as they pledged their loyalty and truthfulness to the state governor, deputy governor, and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), along with its leaders.
This act of swearing allegiance diverges from the usual practice in Nigeria, where public office holders swear by the Quran or Bible to uphold the constitution. Instead, these appointees were asked to swear fealty directly to the APC and its leaders, invoking both the Quran and a deity as witnesses to their oath.
The list of appointees includes:
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
The ceremony has raised questions about the blending of traditional beliefs with political allegiance, and the implications it may have for the secular commitments expected of public officials.
