AS the privilege of producingthe governor of Oyo State continues to elude indigenes of Oke-Ogun area of the state, notable sons and daughters of the agrarian zone have commenced moves to address the continued marginalisation of the area. Leading the call for recognition of the zone are the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba (Dr.) Abdulganiyu Ologunebi Ajinese 1, and Professor Emeritus, Dibu Ojerinde, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The traditional ruler, the don and others lamented that successive administrations at federal and state levels have not given Oke-Ogun desired attention in spite of the variety of resources in the area. While thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Mr. Adebayo Shittu as a minister, he said it was time that Oke-Ogun produced the next governor of Oyo State.
Oba Ologunebi, who is also the Chairman, Conference of Oke-Ogun Obas and Chiefs, said it is unfortunate that some detractors of Oke-Ogun at the state and federal levels, “are erroneously looking down on us and also categorizing us as being uncivilized but we have, by several means, proved this notion wrong, not just by performance but also in our conduct,” adding “Oke-Ogun can boast of a lot of people who have done well and are still doing well in the service of their fatherland, Nigeria.”
While presenting a keynote address at a reception organised for the Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Prof. Dibu, who is the Asiwaju of Oke-Ogun, said the area takes a significant position within the Oyo State geo-political equation. The monarch cited the abandoned Badagry-Oke-Ogun-Sokoto road, marble deposit in Igbeti and some other mineral resources in Oke Ogun as areas in need of the urgent attention by the governments.
At the reception organised by the Oke Ogun Development Council, Chairman of the occasion, Otunba Bamidele Dada, a former minister of Agriculture, started the discourse saying that what the area is getting is not commensurate with its potentials. He said, “the issue of agriculture, water resources and electricity are germane to this area. We have able men and women who can transform Oyo State.”
Dada, who stood in for Chief Audu Ogbeh, incumbent Minister of Agriculture, enjoined the Communications Minister to ensure that President Buhari and his fellow ministers utilize the potentials of Ikere George Dam to generate electricity, develop agriculture and promote tourism. bIn his response to the honour done him and the various speeches, Shittu thanked Oke Ogun people and the ODC for their support. “I think you know me very well. Many of you can define me in terms of incorruptibility and performance and I will not disappoint you,” he said.
Shittu, a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly and two time commissioner, described Ikere Gorge dam as a great resource that has the capacity to provide water, irrigate farmlands and electrify Oke-Ogun and its environs. The minister added that everyone in President Buhari’s cabinet has the passion to serve the nation.
He solicited the support of Nigerians as well as prayer for Buhari administration. He said that he had met with the ODC leaders and asked them to formulate a blueprint to be tagged “Oke-Ogun Development Agenda” which can be used as a development guideline for the area.
“I will make sure that all the concerned ministers, ministries and agencies involved come to Oke-Ogun for assessment and take necessary steps that will hasten and enhance the development of Oke Ogun,” he asserted. To underline the seriousness he attached to the regional development, the Minister disclosed that he had appointed a Special Adviser on Oke-Ogun affairs, adding that he would like ODC to organise Oke-Ogun day annually and regularly to avail sons and daughters of the area the opportunity to come together, brainstorm and move Oke-ogun forward”.
Besides the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Babatunde Raji Fashola and his Water Resources counterpart, Engineer Suleiman Adamu were also honoured on the occasion. The latter was represented by the Managing Director of Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Engineer Akintunde Soyemi.
A publication entitled: “Ikere Gorge Dam: A Goldmine Waiting to be Tapped’ was presented and circulated on the occasion. It was edited by Jare Ajayi, General Secretary of Oke-Ogun Development Council.
Besides the royal fathers from all the major towns in Oke-Ogun, dignitaries on the occasion included former deputy governor of Oyo State, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, former member of the country’s Upper Chamber, Senator Gbenga Babalola, OPM Chairman, Deacon S. A. Oyedemi, COIN Chairman, Prof Layi Egunjobi, Prof Bayo Lasebikan, Amb. Layi Iyanda, Dr. Kunle Oyeyemi (from Covenant University), Prof Kehinde Yusuf, Architect Niyi Kehinde, Admiral Amos Adedeji (retd), Alhaja Titi Akande, former Commissioner for Women Affairs in Oyo State and Olori Funke Ladigbolu, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Others were Mr. Debo Adesina, deputy Editor in Chief of Guardian newspaper, Chief Lasisi Adewuyi, Prince Oye Adeagbo, Hon. Olaogun Adelowo, Comrade Remi Adegbola, Prince Yemi Aderounmu, Mr. Amusa Adebisi, Chief Kola Ganiyu and Mrs. Yetunde Oyebode. Others were Princess Nike Ayoola, Mr. S.I. Ige, Barrister Bayo Toluwalase, Chief Dele Ajila, Chief Isaac Ishola Tejubiyi, Mr. S. A. Popoola, Deacon S. Ipadeola, Surveyor Ola Siyanbola and Hon. Dele Akinleye.
Also on the occasion were honourable Ahmed Ajayi, Alhaji Abdulsalam Jimoh, Deacon Timothy Ojerinde, Alhaji Murtala Rabiu, Mr. Dayo Atanda, Hon. Akeeb Abubakar, Alh. Wahab Balogun, Mukadam Abdullah, Engineer Solomon Ogunrinola, Mr. Gideon Awotunde, Mr. Zacheus Adepoju, Mr. Bimpe Ogundiran and Major Abdulfatai Shittu. Dignitaries included Alhaji Azeez Adeyemo, Mr. Funpe Ojeyemi, Mr. Sola Ailako, Engineer Lateef Amao, Mr. Azeez Mustapha, Mr. Kayode Okunlola, Mr. Adebimpe Adediji to mention a few.
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