The answer depends on where you live, and what type you have brought.
In many countries that import chickpeas they heat treat them to kill seed-borne diseases and insects. The heat treatment process makes them more difficult to cook, and soaking times double or triple.
Beans from exporters with phytosanitary certificates can be imported without heat treatment; these are the ones you want to get.
I don't think you can tell which is which by looking at them. At the moment we have some particularly dark, dry, and dead looking beans that soak up beautifully in 8 hours!
Soak non-heat treated beans for 8 to 12 hours, heat treated beans for 24 to 36 hours. Some overly heat treated beans will never fully revive, and you are best to return these to the shop as "faulty".
Soak and cook without salt, unless you are going to mash them. They fall apart more readily if salted.
If you are not mashing them, the secret to great chickpea taste is after soaking and cooking in water, is to lightly fry them with a little olive oil until dark spot appear, keep them or the pan moving so none burn. Then add the sauce, or add them to whatever dish you are preparing.
The "solid vegetable oil" you're describing sounds like Crisco (shortening), which you can find in any US grocery. You could also try refined coconut or palm kernel oil, both of which are solid at room temperature.
Another possibility to note is that the butter may be fine, but maybe the chickpea flour you're obtaining in the US is different.
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You can also try doing it in a bowlful of water; the skins will float to the surface when they come loose.