3rd July, 2018
Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday presented 36 brand new cars to the newly promoted Obas in Oyo State.
While presenting the cars to the monarchs at the Governor’s Car Park, Secretariat, Ibadan, Ajimobi said that the gift was in line with his determination to enhance and modernise chieftaincy institutions in the state.
He said that the government took the decision to promote royalty by enhancing the status of royal fathers in Oyo State as being done in other states in the Yoruba-speaking south west region of Nigeria.
Ajimobi, who recalled that the present administration elevated the status of some royal fathers to crown and coronet-wearing Obas, noted that as an agent of change, he refused to be intimidated or perturbed in his government’s desire to further promote and modernise the institution.
The governor pointed out that upon elevation of Obas, the government has received avalanche of applications for elevation either from Minors to Part (2) Chiefs or to Crown-wearing Obas. He assured that the government would leave no stone unturned on this exclusive prerogative with consultation with relevant stakeholders.
While reminding benefitting royal fathers to see the gesture of government as a charge for them to further contribute to the development of Oyo State, Ajimobi, however, informed some critics who might want to misinterpret this endeavour as extravagant spending that the State government decided to procure these vehicles because record confirmed that there were logistics, safety and security challenges facing royal fathers in the State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Local Government and chieftaincy matters, Hon. Bimbo Kolade described the event as another landmark in the history of Oyo State which is aimed at enhancing the status of traditional rulers in the State.
Prominent among the traditional rulers that benefited from the cars included Oba Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Balogun of Ibadan land, Oba Eddy Oyewole, Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi and many others.