Oba Ghandi townhall meeting – how it landed agrarian Elega FG’s institution and other gains

Oba Ghandi townhall meeting – how it landed agrarian Elega FG’s institution and other gains

Femi OGUNLANA

The Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III in 2025 initiated a novel programme, dubbed, “Town Hall meeting.” The aim is for him to intimate the people across Ogbomosoland with his development plans enfolded in a 25 year-development agenda. Also, the forum would afford the citizens opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions on the way forward. Thus, the idea has a feedback mechanism, which promotes understanding and alignment.

Less than a year of introducing the programme, ogbomosoinsightonline.com has identified some of its notable gains which are highlighted below:

1. Prompt acquisition of land for a federal government institution, a monotechnic, which was last year approved for Ogbomoso – National Academy for Cultural Studies (NACUS). A temporary site was quickly considered, the Pine Valley High School, Egbeda, Ogbomoso, along old Ogbomoso – Ilorin Road. Pine Valley High School is owned by the Prof Timothy Lagbemiro family, it used to be a private secondary school. A temporary site for the institute found, the main issue became the permanent site, and the Soun was at a crossroad over lack of land. His Majesty thus raised the issue at the first edition of the townhall meeting at Lagbami Osekun Civic Centre, Sunsun (Ogbomoso South local government), and luckily, the people of Elega (the “Elegant” Town), under the jurisdiction of Oolo in Oriire local government area, were at Lagbami Osekun Hall that day, pronto, they made a calculated move, promptly going to meet with Oba Ghandi to intimate him they were willing to donate land for the community-changing project. Everything has become history now. If not for the townhall meeting, the “Elegant Town” might have missed out and commencement of the institute, which will offer ND in the interim, would have been faced with quandary. This also fulfils the vision of Oba Ghandi to spread development across the five local governments of Ogbomoso.

2. Female football at Orumogege Football Tourney – Two years ago, Orumogege Football Competition began in Ogbomoso, as part of programme to commemorate the first coronation anniversary of Oba Ghandi. But it was an all-male tourney. At the Surulere local government edition of the townhall meeting held at Iresaadu Town Hall last year meanwhile, a cute young female footballer came out to demand the tourney also include a female version. This was hearkened to, as the 2025 Orumogege Football Competition, which had N1m as prize money for the winners, featured the female category. Thumb up for the Oba Ghandi townhall meeting.

3. Community development projects by chieftaincy honorees – This is novel, for a traditional ruler in Nigeria to set personal physical community development’s involvement as a requirement for prospective chieftaincy honorees. Oba Ghandi enunciated this new direction at his townhall meetings. When he first mooted the idea stressing such would spend a lot of money, detractors misconstrued his message and so bandied it that it was for personal aggrandizement but it had been clarified that such obligation involves execution of developmental projects that would benefit the whole community. The townhall meetings thus became avenues to speak directly and unambiguously, to his people on the new order, those aspiring for chieftaincies, traditional or honorary, and the people generally. Thus, when a chieftaincy title with the suffix, “Ogbomosoland,” is to be conferred, there won’t be argument, the people would expect something magnificent to better the community and the aspirants would know the littlest requirement. So far, Ogbomoso has gained in this wise. Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani (rtd) who was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Aare Mayegun is building a standard market stalls at Aarada Market; Sir Segun Adekunle, the Asipa, is constructing a standard police station at GRA/Ayanyan Cattle Market; Prof Shola Adepoju installed as Asiwaju, has constructed a relaxation centre at Isale-General; while Dr Saka Balogun, the new Balogun, has re-built the ancient Oja’gbo Market. Definitely, Oba Ghandi townhall meeting facilitated this.

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4. It has bridged the gap between the ruler and the ruled – The townhall meeting is shrinking the gulf between the palace and the town, which has the potential to foster harmony and mutual understanding, which is capable of enhancing overall development.

5. Imbuing hope – The townhall meetings have seen the Soun unveiling his vision and giving account of his stewardship. He has told the people the road linking Agric to Aroje would be dualized as per a promise by a highly-placed indigene, this has birthed hope of a greater future for the community. Other promises he secured he had unfolded all which is building up hope and inspiring efforts to do magnificent things for the dominion.

Thus, looking at it holistically, the Oba Ghandi townhall meeting has made Ogbomoso better. There are more gains certainly.