In a rather unconventional ceremony, the Chairman of Ikere-Ekiti Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Olu Adamolekun, has sworn in his advisers and supervisors of wards using a cutlass.
A video circulating on social media captured the appointees taking turns wielding the cutlass, believed to be a symbol of the god of iron, Ògún, while others holding either the Quran or Bible in their other hand.
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During the oath-taking process, Adamolekun instructed the appointees to repeat specific vows in Yoruba, pledging loyalty and truthfulness to Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti State governor), Monisade (deputy governor), APC, and its leaders.
The appointees were also urged to commit to taking instructions from the party’s leaders, with a warning that failure to do so would result in consequences invoked by Ògún or the Quran.
Ògún is a deity in African (Yoruba) traditional religion, often associated with iron and metallurgy. The swearing-in ceremony, overseen by Adamolekun of the All Progressives Congress (APC), took place on May 2 at the conference hall of the chairman’s office.
Addressing the newly sworn-in supervisors and advisers, Adamolekun congratulated them on their appointments and emphasized the importance of seeing their roles as a call to service.
While the use of a cutlass in the swearing-in ceremony may raise eyebrows, it reflects the cultural and traditional beliefs deeply rooted in the region.
The ceremony underscores the significance of local customs and rituals in governance practices, albeit in a modern political context.