How Soun's chieftaincy reinvention fuelled ₦200m infrastructural projects in Ogbomoso

How Soun’s chieftaincy reinvention fuelled ₦200m infrastructural projects in Ogbomoso

Femi OGUNLANA

Four separate infrastructural projects currently ongoing in Ogbomoso Oyo state when completed would have gulped an amount close to ₦200, 000, 000 in (two hundred million naira) in cost, a developer, who however preferred anonymity, has told ogbomosoinsightonline.com.

The projects with one already completed came off the the selfless chieftaincy title conferment model the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III introduced. The progressive monarch in a radical declaration said that any prospective chieftaincy title holder in Ogbomoso to be conferred by him whether traditional or honourary would be obligated to execute a major developmental project for the community. Such project at any particular time would be dictated by his Palace.

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The model according to him will make chieftaincy awardees really earn the titles noting any obligation to him as the consenting authority would henceforth not be a pre-condition.

The Oba pointed out that instead of a beneficiary of chieftaincy title to give him money or material thing, or spend millions of naira organising a celebratory party, committing huge resources to non-tangibles, refocusing and redirecting such into what would elicit instant benefits for the community, positively impacting collective interests, would now be favoured as it comes with higher value. “By the time someone who wants to gain chieftaincy title spends millions of naira in executing a community development project he might have been extremely squeezed to think of further organising big celebration and inviting musicians. And for me, l don’t need their money, let them commit the obligations due to the palace to developments in the town,” the Oba enunciated this innovative posture earlier this year.

Many considered it mere rhetoric but this has unravelled before our very eyes. Since the declaration of this intent, six persons have been conferred with chieftaincy titles by the Oba including the Araba Awo, the Balogun, Baasegun, Asiwaju, Aare Mayegun and Asipa. One of the six, Dr Saka Balogun (the Balogun of Ogbomosoland) completed his assigned projects months ago – the remodeling and reconstruction of the Oja’gbo Market. It is ready for commissioning.

Araba Oluawo of Ogbomosoland High Priest Ifamakinde

The Araba Awo, High Priest Alao Opeifa Ifamakinde, would have been through with his own too – rebuilding of the rows of shanties that are shops at the frontage of the Ogunlola Hall but was stopped by those who thought it would be an encroachment on the land of the Central Mosque. That development makes that one pending.

Similarly, the Baasegun, Chief Amos Aderemi Aremu, is also yet to be saddled with a project but it is understood this would be seen to soon.

Baasegun Chief Aremu

Meanwhile the other three who are honourary titles holders, the Aare Mayegun, Rear Admiral Jacob Adekunle Ajani (a retired senior Naval Officer; the Asipa, Barrister Sir Segun Adekunle (a retired Permanent Secretary at the federal level); and the Asiwaju, Prof Adeshola Adepoju (former Director General of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria FRIN Ibadan) are currently in the middle of completing the construction of edifices at various locations in fulfilment and in entrenchment of the Soun’s new bold model.

Asiwaju of Ogbomosoland Prof Adeshola Adepoju

Adepoju is building a recreational centre adjacent Ogbomoso North local government Secretariat; Ajani is putting up modern structures at the Araada Market while Adekunle is constructing a Police Divisional Headquarters at Pakiotan on the land of Ogbomoso Government Reservation Area (GRA) beside Ayanyan cattle market along the new Ogbomoso – Ilorin highway.

Aare Mayegun Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani rtd

Each of the four projects according to the developer who is into real estate, is worth about ₦50, 000, 000 (fifty million naira).

Asipa of Ogbomosoland Sir Segun Adekunle

The Balogun of Ogbomosoland Dr Saka Balogun

And based on information gathered by Ogbomoso Insight the other three projects would be completed soon and be inaugurated.

The police station under construction is bigger than most of the divisional police headquarters around with several offices and facilities. It is expected to serve the GRA community when completed and the neighbouring communities including the larger Pakiotan community, Baby area, Aaje, Atako, Federal Government College area, Oke-Aanu among others.

The recreational centre boasts facilities and features like bars, children’s recreational facilities like swings of various types, a stage/pavilion, gardens, interlocked connecting walkways etc.

The mall at the Araada Market when completed will have dozens of lock up shops built in two rows, modern stalls and toilets. It is located at a section of the farm produce market.

“This is vintage Oba Ghandi,” a commentator, Benjamin Oyeleke, an Ogbomoso indigene resident in Lagos, submitted in a chat with ogbomoinsightonline.com. “l am always awed by the ideas of the monarch, His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III. He is selfless and progressive-minded. He is a different breed from the Obas we are familiar with.

“He comes in with a new orientation and a different mindset we are unaccustomed with. It is laudable. Developments here and there will gradually shape Ogbomoso into what we envisage, l learnt another police station is being built at Abepe area, that vicinity will by that get a facelift. There is the modern Aso Ofi Weaving Centre built also upon the direction of the Kabiyesi. A health facility is said to ongoing at Yaku, boreholes are being provided and so on.

“Our people are being inspired to bring up projects and refurbishing old structures and gradually l am sure we will have a remodeled city. We all know how the Cradles Carnival is transforming Ogbomoso.

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“This our Oba is impressive. If things are turning up like this in just two years of his coronation you can imagine what Ogbomoso will turn into in five years. Let’s continue to pray for him. He means well for the city and the zone at large. We are lucky to have someone like him as our Oba, it is uncommon God’s grace. He is armed with a solid plan, a working blueprint.”

It is indeed vintage Oba Ghandi. he has everything wrapped under his sleeves. He is a bundle of ideas.

THE REJUVENATED OJA’GBO MARKET BY BALOGUN BALOGUN