Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi Tuesday took the battle of wits between him and Olubadan to President Muhammadu Buhari, reiterating that he would not depose the monarch.
Both Ajimobi and Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji have been locked in a battle for supremacy in the past one month following the former’s decision to elevate chiefs under the latter to royalty.
Since then, things have fallen apart while the centre can hardly hold in the state.
However, the intensity of the heat and protracted condemnation of Ajimobi’s action seemed to have compelled him to bring the matter to Buhari’s attention yesterday.
He claimed that the matter had been hijacked by politicians whom he said sought to exploit it for political gains but expressed optimism that reason would prevail in the end.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Ajimobi said the monarch was more or less a father to him and hence, woudn’t depose him.
“I also mentioned the issue of security to the President. Recall that Oyo State has been in the news because of the issue of Olubadan chieftaincy declaration. So, I came to make him know that the Olubadan is my father. He is a younger brother to my own father and we have had a very long relationship, which has been father-son relationship.
“I assured him that come rain, come shine, I will never depose the Olubadan because he is a father and a son does not depose his father. Even though he has done so many things that could be used to remove him, I will never remove him. We have to continued to show respect.
“I also made him to realise that that particular chieftaincy declaration is being politicised. Politicians have hijacked it. Out of 11 council members, two of them are dead now and we have only nine remaining. It is only one that is not supporting it; and that one that is not supporting it is a politician. He wants to run after I leave office.
“So, I believe that the Olubadan declaration issue is being hijacked by politicians. But let’s thank God that elders, stakeholders and well meaning Nigerians have intervened and I think reason will prevail. These are the things I have to let the president know,†he said.
Asked what was the president’s response to the matter, Ajimobi claimed that “the president was glad. He knows that I don’t tell lies.â€
He also said he discussed with the president about infrastructure development in Oyo State particularly about the need to invest in a dam which he said had the potential to improve the wellbeing of Oyo people through private public partnership (PPP).
“I also came to give him progress report of Oyo State where we are trying to position the state economically. I came to talk to him about infrastructure that we require. For instance, we have the Ikere gorge dam in Oyo State, the fourth largest earth dam in the world, stretching almost 50 kilometers.
“We felt it would provide benefits to us, like in the area of irrigation, water supply both industrial and household. Similarly, that dam can provide us with opportunities for farming and energy generation. It has a reservoir of 690 million cubic metres.
“So, I felt that Ikere gorge dam should be handed over to Oyo State or we participate through PPP in resuscitating the dam such that Oyo State can benefit from all the deliverables from the dam.
“Still on the dam: similar thing was done in Dakin Kowa dam in Gombe state. The dam was given back to that state. So Ikere dam can be given back to us as we are willing to make it work because it can serve Ogun, Lagos and Oyo State. I think we can make it work,†he added.
