‘Ogbomoso’s major trunk A road to be dualised,’ Soun reveals, reels out other goodies, as he engages residents
Femi OGUNLANA
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The major trunk A road that meanders through Ogbomoso will be dualised’ from Ogbomoso High School area to the LAUTECH axis, the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III has disclosed.
Oba Olaoye made this disclosure Thursday during his maiden townhall meeting at the Lagbami Osekun Civic Centre, Ogbomoso South local government, Arowomole, Ogbomoso.
The townhall meeting introduced by the monarch to create a forum for developmental discussions with the residents, and intimate them with his 25 year – development plan, was attended by a tumultuous crowd who expressed appreciation for his efforts so far.
Speaking at the event, graced by other traditional rulers including Onisapa of Isapa Oba Bolarinwa Ezekiel Olajide, Onilagbedu of Lagbedu, Olodanbon of Odanbon, Oniyaku of Yaku, Areago of Ogbomosoland High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin, Iyalode of Ogbomosoland High Chief Rebecca Ogundare, Alabede of Abede, Balogun of Olugbon High Chief Sir Olatunde Okelana, chairman Ogbomoso Parapo Home Zone Prince Aderemi Olude and his predecessor Hon Saka Bello Aremole, a former global secretary of Ogbomoso Parapo Hon Michael Abioye, market leaders and so on, Oba Olaoye revealed that a highly placed son of Ogbomoso came to him to ask what project he would want facilitated from the federal government to which the monarch mentioned the completion of the abandoned new Ogbomoso – Oyo section of the Ibadan – Ilorin dual carriageway as well as the dualization of the Ogbomoso High School to LAUTECH road.
Responding, the man whose identity was not revealed, according to the Kabiyesi, retorted, “Kabiyesi, consider both done.”
The Oba speaking with infectious conviction said his choice of those roads was inspired by his vision to attract indigenes in the diaspora, investors and tourists to Ogbomoso in their numbers, positing, “If the access road to Ogbomoso from Oyo remains in poor condition our plans will be derailed, our sons and daughters outside Ogbomoso, the investors we are talking to and tourists will be reluctant to come. That is the basis of my decision.”
ogbomosoinsightonline.com recalls that recently, the federal government approved the construction of the uncompleted section of the Ogbomoso – Oyo road, and the project is already ongoing, “even though it is not in the budget, it was approved,” the Soun had added.
This is as he informed that the Oyo state governor Engr Seyi Makinde had assured him that all Ogbomoso roads would be rehabilitated “soon.”
“If the roads are good, it will encourage people to come to the town,” Soun averred.
He also informed that five new Divisional Police headquarters would spring up in Ogbomoso courtesy of the Oyo state Commissioner of Police, who reportedly stressed the town deserves as many more to improve security situation.
However, there is a lacuna, the Oba lamented. “We can’t acquire lands for the project especially in Ogbomoso South.”
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He said three locations had been gotten in Ogbomoso North local government, adding, “And we have had people ready to build the police stations, but we aren’t yet able to get lands for the project in Ogbomoso South.”
He urged the people of the council area to donate land for developmental projects, while noting that is one of the reasons Ogbomoso North appears more developed in terms of developments. He berated leaders of Ogbomoso South both political and traditional leadership alleging them of “lack of cooperation in developmental initiatives.” He regretted they always placed primordial sentiments and politics above progress.
He also disclosed that his philosophy is that whoever seeks chieftaincy title from him will be obligated to execute a named developmental project.
“I am not after perks of office, rather, l am preoccupied with the progress and development of Ogbomoso. You all know when people want to be bestowed with chieftaincy titles, they are obligated by custom to give the Oba gifts including money. But for me, l am not going to embrace that. I have ruled that such persons will rather commit the money (for gratification of the Oba) to developmental projects. For me, l don’t need your money, use that money to do something for the town. Not that l don’t need money but l am more concerned about the development of Ogbomoso. That is the new spirit. You can see the market at Oja’gbo, it’s being built by a prospective chief.”
Oba Olaoye further remarked that ”Seeing the (Oja’gbo) initiative, some persons had approached me that they wanted to build markets too even though they weren’t people who seek chieftaincy titles. Another person had come that he wanted to donate land for construction of market. That is the idea. But we are constrained by land availability.”
The paramount ruler also informed that the Ogbomoso water reviltalization scheme is nearing completion. “In the next two weeks, water will begin to flow in areas that had water years ago before the taps dried.”
He disclosed the project is being funded by him (donated ₦10m), his friends (₦13m) and others who also contributed huge sums of money. He now informed he had secured the promise for the expansion of the Ogbomoso water scheme by the federal government.
Furthermore, the co-chairman of Oyo State Traditional Council announced the planned distribution of 50, 000 exercise books to pupils of public primary schools in the five local governments areas in Ogbomoso zone.
“We have different committees to drive our 25 year-development plan. (I developed this plan during the 18 months l waited for the approval of my nomination as king by Governor Seyi Makinde). The Education Committee came to me that they discovered many children don’t have exercise books. We used to have 2B, 2D, 2H exercise books etc, l don’t know if these are still used.
“And they said we have about 25, 000 to 27, 000 school pupils in public schools. So, l Soun, had printed 25, 000 exercise books for distribution free to these children. But interestingly, when the members of the education committee heard of my gesture they decided to follow suit and they had also printed 25, 000 exercise books. We have other writing materials as well.”
He charged teachers to teach the children well, stressing, “It is when our children are well educated that they will sit at decision making tables in the future and not at the doors or doing ‘alright sir.’ When we have our children at where decisions are made we will have numerous opportunities like this person l said facilitated road constructions if he is not well placed would he have had such opportunity to do something for the town? We are also introducing scholarship programmes. The best five students will be given higher institutions’ scholarships every year just as the school, principal and teachers in those schools their students excelled will receive between ₦500, 000 and ₦1, 000, 000. We want to encourage our teachers to be happy to teach the children. I want to assure you the number will increase progressively because many people have come to make promises of education support in the land.”
He promised development in the area of commerce too reiterating Ogbomoso people are notable in the area of commerce aside being “brave people.”
He continued, “We will aid commerce. Our town can’t continue to remain like this. We will soon begin to see the effects of our efforts. The people we are speaking with will begin to site industries. Ogbomoso will not be backward. That is not our destiny. Our destiny is to be in the forefront. We want people to throng Ogbomoso. Ogbomoso has many special attributes and many things. I am here to serve not to enjoy myself. God has given me wealth. I had travelled to over 65 countries, l saw how things work, how things are there. l now believe that my having travelled wide is God’s design to make me draw from the experience and leverage on it to make Ogbomoso greater having purposed l would be Soun. I won’t just sit and be enjoying myself, our people must live good too, that is my joy.”
The retired cleric also observed, “Ogbomoso ought to be a transhipment hub because of its location. It ought to be terminal for goods (mostly food items) from the north where they will be offloaded and buyers from the southern cities and towns will come to buy them. This will revitalise this town’s economy. So, we will work towards this. We are going to have big motor parks and markets. Ogbomoso will become a centre of commercial activities. That is why we are doing that road. God knows, the glory of this town will be restored.”
He also touched on the Cradles Carnival whose maiden edition was held last December. “God gave us the inspiration. It’s what will bring us together as a people. It’s promotion of our culture and not veneration of Egungun as some people (erroneously) believed. God created different cultures for the human kind, God doesn’t make a mistake with culture. Cradle is our culture, let’s promote it. I assure this year’s will be bigger and greater. The Cradle is for the development of our town. Go and ask our traders, hoteliers etc how much they made last year. Cradle is to rekindle the commerce of our town, it’s not only about festival but commerce. It belongs to the five local governments. Every Ogbomoso person should be part of the Cradle, many people have promised to attend this year’s.”
He informed another dividend of his development plan is the primary healthcare centre now under construction by the late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala family at Yaku. He noted it’s being built in commemoration of the 75th posthumous birthday of the late Bobagunwa of Ogbomosoland.
In the question and answer session Oba Olaoye emphasized his commitment to development as he answered various questions posed by the enthusiastic people.
On exorbitant prices of goods in Ogbomoso he promised to meet with traders and other categories of commercial people, lamenting “If prices are high it will jeopardise our desire to turn our town into a hub of commerce.”
On the Wazo market, he assured the place would soon bubble with commercial activities encouraging people who need shops to contact the palace.
He similarly informed a legislator had promised to construct access roads to the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, as his constituency project. Recall the management of the fledgling institution had cited lack of motorable access roads as reason it had not moved to the permanent site.
He expressed confidence Ogbomoso zone will be transformed, assuring, “We will ensure development spread as long as we have land. We will build parks, hospitals, markets etc. We are all Ogbomosos. One thing l have discovered is that our indigenes outside Ogbomoso don’t differentiate between Ogbomoso North and South or any other local governments, all they tell me is that they are from Ogbomoso and they would mention their family compound. And they often ask ‘What can l do?’ That is why l said our town has potentials. If you know the number of our people who say they want to do things since l became Oba, you will be amazed, but we are short of land.
“We should not allow dichotomy among ourselves. It’s time we united for the development of Ogbomoso. I only know of one Ogbomoso. I am not Soun of Ogbomoso North but enthroned as Soun of Ogbomosoland. So, l am less concerned about the narratives such as Ogbomoso North and South. I am your Soun. The vision for development is not for Ogbomoso North alone but all Ogbomoso especially Ogbomoso North and South. So, let’s think alike. Whatever does not have a head is a gnome. That is why Soun is the head. And whatever has two heads is also a gnome. Soun is the head.”
He again admonished leaders in Ogbomoso South local government to be more liberal when he was confronted with an accusation of lopsidedness in the development of Ogbomoso North and South.
Hear him, “l wouldn’t blame Ogbomoso North for that. My immediate predecessor (late Oba Dr Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III JP CON CFR) was an eminent personality, had wide connections, and very wealthy but usually faced problem in Ogbomoso South because the leaders there were often antagonistic. They didn’t cooperate with him. I have been experiencing similar thing, we are talking of land for development now, we can’t get land in Ogbomoso South. Development will go to areas where we get land. We have to sit together but here it’s hostility,” disclosing “As an instance, l have invited the council chairman in Ogbomoso South three times to share my developmental agenda with him, how we can collaborate but three times he had spurned my invitations. I visited Onisapa and l said we should modernise the Araada Market belonging to the Onisapa Royal Family but we couldn’t do anything because the council has to give approval but l can’t reach them. So, don’t blame the former Soun, he had good intentions but was frustrated. It is you (referring to the people) that suffer it. But people won’t know that and blame Ogbomoso North.”
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He added, “If Olubadan speaks in Ibadan, every other Oba toes his line, in Oyo if Alaafin speaks people align with him, but when Soun speaks there is cacophony of other voices. It is a bane of our development in Ogbomoso. Some of them are even closer to the governor but what have they influenced. But l assure you we will go above them to execute the developmental projects we can. We won’t be held back.”
On a final note, he charged parents to allow their children acquire formal education berating them for the rising wave of hooliganism among students. He said, “The parents have to rise to train their children. They wake up under your nose and they sleep under your watching eyes, teachers are only assisting. We now have parental failure that is why it has become a menace.”
The familiarization tour is expected to continue next week in Ogbomoso North at Anglican Grammar School Hall, starting 3:00pm.
