Date: 2021-08-22

The National President of the Etan Development Association, Kwara State, Mr Femi Oyewole, has lamented the age-long chieftaincy crisis plaguing the town since early 1964.

Oyewole, who spoke at this year’s Ikan festival, usually held every seven years in the town, noted with regret that the unfortunate development had adversely affected the town's progress.

The community leader in his prepared speech obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, observed that Etan, a town, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, had lost many developmental projects as a result of the crisis.

He therefore urged all sons and daughters of the town to collaborate with the EDA under his leadership, in its ongoing process to resolve the issue.

He specifically appealed to stakeholders in the chieftaincy crisis to embrace peace by shunning personal ambitions in the overall interest of the community.

Oyewole said, "It is on this note that I crave the mutual understanding, love and subordination of personal interest to the community's interest. "I also seek the support of all to the reconciliatory efforts of the Etan Development Association in collaboration with the Council of Chiefs concerning the chieftaincy impasse which has bedeviled and stalled our progress as a community over the years.

"Let me reiterate that The Supreme Being made no mistake in creating and bringing us together as indigenes of Etan. This is an unquantifiable favour from God, of which we ought to be grateful."

Oyewole explained that the Ikan festival was "a heritage from our forefathers that we are proud to preserve for our children for onward transmission down the line to our great grandchildren."