A TALE OF TWO OGBOMOSO PARAPOS

A TALE OF TWO OGBOMOSO PARAPOS

Gbadegesin AASA

The recent letter signed by the leadership of Ogbomoso Parapo Home Headquarters urging the Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to exercise restraints over the appointment of the Olugbon of Orile Igbon His Highness Oba Francis Olusola Alao as Permanent Chairman of Surulere Local Government Traditional Council has again brought to the fore the need for the reorganization of Ogbomoso Parapo after the reconciliation of the leadership cum membership differences.

I think it is not only embarrassing but confusing to read or hear conflicting reports from/about the same social cultural organization.

In one breath, we hear about Ogbomoso Parapo congratulating the Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the Olugbon of Orile Igbon who has been made the Permanent Chairman of Surulere Local Government Area by the State Governor only to have another press release cautioning the state Governor Seyi Makinde on the same appointment by another faction of the same Ogbomoso Parapo. I doubt if any Ogbomoso boy/girl/ man/woman will feel happy and proud about that. I doubt if we expect people watching us from other towns to take us serious and respect us.

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Before the recent announcement by the state government, the Chairmanship of Surulere Local Government Area Traditional Council used to be rotated between the Aresaadu and the Olugbon. For now, the Aresaadu stool is vacant. With the appointment of Kabiyesi the Olugbon of Orile Igbon as the Permanent Chairman, the Aresaadu is dislodged. Both Kabiyesis- the Olugbon of Orile Igbon and the Aresaadu of Iresaadu are Patrons of Ogbomoso Parapo and the Ogbomoso Parapo that has the two Obas as Patrons is now congratulating one.

The feelings of the other party can only be imagined but I am not aware of anybody related to Iresaadu in any way that will celebrate the demotion of the Aresaadu. Some of us may not know about the internal workings and reasonings of the leadership of Ogbomoso Parapo that congratulated the governor about the appointment more so when the Aresaadu stool is still vacant. I think we need to be educated/informed.

In my opinion, it would possibly have been better if the governor made his decision after the appointment and installation of another Aresaadu and the two foremost traditional rulers and their people were consulted.

All legitimate sons and daughters of Ogbomoso will not want the leadership and membership camps of Ogbomoso Parapo to be identified differently depending on what they individually or collectively believe in or stand for e.g. the ELEVATION of Kabiyesi the Olugbon of Orile Igbon over and above the Aresaadu of Iresaadu and the DEMOTION of Aresaadu of Iresaadu or the antagonist of the Soun of Ogbomoso and his Chiefs and whatever they stand for no matter how good, benefiting or progressive to the people. Once Ogbomoso Parapo cannot speak with one voice, then, the social cultural organization will be subjecting itself and the entire land to ridicule – BIG TIME.

Ogbomoso Parapo should be our collective voice, NOT the voice of some individuals pursuing personal agendas or interests with whatever intentions. That cannot obviously be one of the reasons why Ogbomoso Parapo was formed. That cannot be the aims and objectives of our founding fathers/mothers. And that cannot be in the interest of the present and coming generations.

In the midst of all these, one cannot but see the reason why many people supported the need for the dissolution of Ogbomoso Parapo in order to move Ogbomoso forward even when opinions are divided on the appropriateness or otherwise of the dissolution. I am yet to see any community with very sharp contradicting positions moving forward. I will want to be corrected though. We cannot just continue like this and expect progress/development in our communities. If there is anything we need now, it is peace within our communities, otherwise, development may only be wishful thinking – May God forbid.

Ogbomoso a gbe wa o

Aasa is a concerned indigene of Ogbomoso.