…says empires have given way to new global power structures
The Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, has assured Governor Seyi Makinde that members of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs will give enough support to the new chairman, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
The monarch gave the assurance while hosting the governor in his palace at Orile-Igbon over the weekend.
Some other traditional rulers in Surulere Local Government joined the Olugbon to welcome Makinde to the palace.
Oba Alao, who thanked the governor for the visit, assured that he and other members of the council of obas were behind Makinde, assuring that Oba Ladoja would enjoy the support of members of the council across the five zones in the state.
The zones are Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun, and Ibarapa.
The monarch, who is the deputy chairman of the Obas council, said, “Your Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, we appreciate you for coming here. And I would like to take this opportunity to explain that the government has done what is needed by the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. We are in support of the decision.
“Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs has now been re-inaugurated. And we have a new chairman in the person of His Excellency Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadan.
“I want to assure Your Excellency that we are all one in the council. We are united across the five zones – Ogbomoso, Ibadan, Oyo, Oke-Ogun, and Ibarapa. People can say things, but we are members of one united family.”
Responding, the governor said, “I came here over what happened in Oloka. I have visited there, and I assured them that their government will not fail them. The people own this government. I am also assuring the people of Surulere Local Government and everyone in Ogbomoso Zone that development projects will spread across all five local governments in Ogbomoso Zone. I only ask for your cooperation.”
The traditional rulers that joined the Olugbon were the Aresapa of Iresa pupa, Oba Moses Ajiboye; Aranyin of Iranyin, Oba Lasisi Olagbemileke; Olujado of Ijado, Oba Hammed Adegbile, and Iba Abogunde Tajudeen Aminullahi.
Speaking briefly with reporters after the meeting, Olugbon stressed the need for the traditional system to embrace contemporary reality, saying empires have given way to new power structures globally.
He said, “The world is not static but dynamic in nature. In the past centuries, there were the Roman, French, and British empires, which ruled the world. But looking at today’s world order, the United States, Russia, and emerging China are the leading powerful nations.
The system we are operating in Nigeria is not a monarchy. I implore all traditional rulers across the state to cooperate with the government of the day.
“There is no perfection in the decisions of the government. We just need a deeper understanding of our collective will in entrenching good governance, promoting economic development, security, and peaceful coexistence in our dear state. Modernity has restructured the governance system in Nigeria.”
The Nation reports that Makinde re-inaugurated the council of Obas last week, Thursday, with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Ladoja, as its chairman. He will serve a tenure of two years.
Before Thursday’s inauguration, the council had been held down by litigation for 15 years.