2027:Oke-Ogun Elders Crave For Guber, Senatorial Seats …Express Concern Over Security

Elders in Oke-ogun area of Oyo State have expressed deep concern over the security situation in the area just as they pushed for an Oke-ogun person to become the next governor of Oyo State.

They expressed these at a meeting they held recently in the Bodija residence of the President of Oke-ogun Council of Elders (O.C.E.), Otunba Bamidele Dada, OON, former Minister of State for Agriculture.

Their position was contained in the Communique issued at the end of the meeting as signed by Comrade Jare Ajayi and Prince Remi Adegbola.

According to them, “no person of Oke-ogun extraction has served as Governor of the entity to which the area belongs right from Nigeria’s Independence. As such, deliberate efforts must be made to remedy this situation”.

They, therefore, called for the rotation of the gubernatorial position in Oyo State among the seven geo-political zones in the state viz: Oke-ogun Zones 1 & II, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa and Ibadan (City and Less City).

The Council wants the rotational arrangement to begin from the forthcoming elections in 2027 with Oke-ogun taking the first shot.

The OCE reiterated its earlier advocacy for the re-delimitation of the present Oyo North Senatorial District in such a way that the ten local government areas of Oke ogun would form a Senatorial District.

It also expressed its preference for an Oke-ogun indigene to be the Senator that will represent the people of Oyo North in the next dispensation beginning from 2027.

The Elders stated that the security situation in the area is giving them a lot of concern. In their words, “the kidnapping incidents in the north-west local government areas of Kwara State and parts of Ogun State are affecting the people of Oke ogun”.

This made them to call on the federal government, security agencies and governments of Oyo, Kwara and Ogun States to take pro-active steps to put an end to the insecurity situation.

They also called for concerted actions to check the incessant incursion of Fulani herders into the farms of Oke-ogun people.

Four of the steps suggested in this regard included the immediate enforcement of the Anti-Open Grazing Law that was passed in Oyo State about five years ago, strengthening of security agencies, empowerment of local security/vigilante groups as well as the deployment of modern technology for security purposes.

They contended that the insecurity situation and paucity of incentives are adversely affecting agricultural practices and called on the government to provide better incentives to farmers besides strengthening security.

The meeting commended Oyo State Government under Engineer Seyi Makinde for employing teachers for schools in the state last year.

It, however, observed that in spite of the employment of new hands, most of the primary and secondary schools in Oke ogun still suffer from inadequate staffing.

It called on the government to remedy this situation by employing indigenes of the area to teach in their schools as soon as possible.

While commending the government for some of the roads it is working on in the area, they drew its attention to some other inter and intra town roads in Oke-ogun, “many of which are in a very deplorable state”.

In the same vein, they commended President Tinubu-led federal government for releasing money to facilitate the construction of Badagry-Oke-ogun-Sokoto Highway and called for an accelerated action so that the project can be completed as soon as possible.

Oke ogun Council of Elders expressed profound appreciation to the President for approving the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture and Technology recently sited in Okeho, Kajola local government area of Oke-ogun.

They expressed the hope that all that is necessary would be provided so that the university can take-off soonest. The meeting noted that health facilities in Oke-ogun are insufficient.

It, therefore, called on the state and local government councils in the area to provide more health facilities and ensure that they are properly staffed and equipped.

The meeting urged the state government to employ and post more health personnel to government-owned institutions in Oke-ogun.

Noting that many mineral resources in the area are being exploited, the elders expressed some concerns on the condition of security in the neighbourhood of the mine-sites and the benefits accruable to the communities where these mineral resources are being mined.

It, therefore, called on the federal and state governments to ensure that the people in those areas benefit immensely from their God-given resources.

The meeting commiserated with Ibadan people and Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) on the demise of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Akinloye Owolabi Ige Olakulehin and prayed for a peaceful repose of his soul.

Oke-ogun Elders also prayed that the Almighty God will grant those the Oba left behind the fortitude to bear the loss.