New states: Ogbomoso delegation to constitution review frowns at 'mischievous' report

New states: Ogbomoso delegation to constitution review frowns at ‘mischievous’ report

Yinka ADETUNJI

Stakeholders in Ogbomoso have expressed discontent over a report by news media on the recently held Constitution Review hearing by the Senate Committee on the Constitution Review in Lagos.

A mix-up was observed in the report widely sourced from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani (rtd) who presented the Ogbomoso memorandum demanding for the creation of New Oyo State was designated “President of Ogbomoso Valiant Club” whereas “He did not perform the presentation on behalf of the Ogbomoso Valiant Club but on behalf of Ogbomoso Community as a whole. That was an unpardonable mix up igniting misrepresentation,” a stakeholder, Mr. Olusegun Aremu Kuti (A.S.K.) told ogbomosoinsightonline.com during a phone chat.

A.S.K. who was part of the delegation added, “The delegation was sent by Kabiyesi the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III to present a memorandum on behalf of Ogbomoso Community to advocate the collective aspiration of the people of Ogbomosoland. It is not by a single club but a collective thing. So, attributing the memorandum to Ogbomoso Valiant Club is a misrepresentation.”

He said though there is such club in Ogbomoso with Rear Admiral Ajani as its president but ”there is need to put the record straight. The Admiral led a powerful delegation of our revered monarch to the hearing and so Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani did not go there on behalf of OVC alone. We deem this as laziness on the part of the media houses or perhaps it is all mischief.”

ASK meanwhile lauded OVC as a service club which he said has been contributing to the growth and development of Ogbomosoland in diverse ways but clarified that the delegation to Lagos state was beyond OVC.

Ogbomoso Valiant Club (OVC) is an association of Ogbomoso indigenes in the military, para-military, retired or serving and also represents Ogbomoso Community both at home and in the Diaspora.

The contentious report is re-published hereunder:

The Ogbomoso Valliant Club, a forum of Ogbomoso elders, has advocated the creation of New Oyo State with the capital at Ogbomoso.

Retired Rear Adm. Jacob Ajani, President of the Club, made the call while presenting “A Bill to Provide for the Creation of the New Oyo State” to the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, on Saturday on Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate Committee on the Constitution Review on Friday and Saturday conducted public hearings on requests for the review of the constitution across the geo-political zones.

Creation of new states is listed as part of the areas of focus for the public hearing.

Ajani said that Oyo State with approximately land mass of 28, 500 squares kilometres is excessively big, compared to the entire South-East states with about 29,300 square kilometres.

He said there was the need to create New Oyo State to de-populate existing Oyo State and develop the great potential of the proposed state.

“Oyo State alone is about the present South-East of five States. So, if they (South East) can have five states, it is not too much to ask for a New Oyo State with capital in Ogbomoso,” he said.

Ajani said that if Ibadan State was granted and probably Ibarapa, the rest of the local governments in the present Oyo State should form the new Oyo State.

According to him, in the South-West after Lagos, Oyo State is next in terms of population.

He said that the areas making the proposed state have tourist attractions, historical monuments, arable land and several institutions to make it a viable state.

Ajani also said if the proposed New Oyo State was approved, it would have 19 local government areas and, “that is far above what we have in Bayelsa as a state with just eight local governments”.

On why the capital should be in Ogbomoso, Ajani said that Ogbomoso is historically significant and that it is strategically located with a lot of economic activities.

He added that Ogbomoso has population advantage as it is the third most populated city in South-Western Nigeria, after Lagos and Ibadan.

“Also, Ogbomosho has plain land, water resources, four degree-awarding institutions, higher national diploma, and two teaching hospitals, technical colleges, markets and recreation centres,” he added. …