By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti—There was palpable tension in Ikere-Ekiti yesterday over Governor Ayo Fayose’s order that a shrine represented by a sacred tree located in a historical site in the community be uprooted to pave way for road dualisation project.

Youths and traditionalists  in the community on Monday evening prevented attempt by government agents and the contractor handling  the project to remove the tree .

Miffed by the resistance in Ikere-Ekiti, Governor Fayose reportedly led armed policemen and operatives of the state security outfit, “Operation Flush” in the heat of the crisis to clear those obstructing the project.

But the indigenes stood their ground, claiming that the historical site known in local parlance as the “Ereja” was significant to the town, a sacred place, which is very central to the history of the ancient town.

According to them, it was the source of Ikere, it was the place where the town was established and  removing the tree would spell doom for the community, It is also the location where the annual Olosunta Festival is celebrated.

The residents had placed sacrifices made with a goat, split open and pigeon and other fetish objects at the site while palm fronds were also tied around the shrine.

The angry youths had formed a human shield round the shrine, daring the bulldozer to demolish the site and uproot the sacred  tree.

Addressing reporters in his palace yesterday, the visibly angry Olukere of Ikere, Oba Ganiyu Ayodele Obasoyin, said “cutting down the sacred tree and demolishing the Ereja was akin to passing a death sentence on me (Olukere).”

The Olukere was joined at his palace by the Alare of Are-Ikere, Chief Oguntuase Atitebi and the Elejoka of Ikuomoba-Ikere, Chief Benjamin

Owolade both of whom claimed that he (Olukere) is the head of the community.

Reacting, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, said the road construction must continue because for every developmental efforts, people must make sacrifices.

“Houses have been demolished, now that it is the shrine, it is only proper that we relocate it to a proper place.

“With the necessary appeasement, the shrine could be relocated. All the gods in Yoruba land are for protection and not for death. We want to assure him (Olukere) that nothing bad will happen to him,” he said.