Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has met with traditional rulers across the state.
Ajimobi had invited the monarchs to keep them abreast of his scorecard, developments across the state and his future plans to sustain his administration’s transformation agenda.
Among the traditional rulers who attended and spoke at the event were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji.
Others included the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Rafiu Adekunle; Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola; Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Sunday Popoola and the representative of Soun of Ogbomoso, the Aare Ago of Ogbomosoland, Chief Sobalaje Otolorin.
Speaking at the parley, Ajimobi said that the meeting was borne out of the need for him to carry the royal fathers along about the programmes and policies of his administration, giving their position as the custodian of culture and tradition and the closest to the people.
He also said part of his reasons for the meeting was to appeal to the royal fathers to enlighten their subjects on the need to eschew thuggery, brigandage and violence before, during and after the local government scheduled for May 12.
The governor said his administration had succeeded in restoring peace and security which had eluded the state prior to his administration through the establishment of a joint security outfit, codenamed ‘’Operation Burst.’’
In a similar vein, he said that the administration also established a Security Trust Fund through which necessary equipment were regularly procured for the security outfits.
He said: “I have called this meeting to ensure that there is constant dialogue with you, our royal fathers and to intimate you with our developmental plans and goals. It is also to discuss our efforts so far at repositioning the state and to see what our state will be like in the next 25 years.
“I am happy to announce to you that Oyo State has been described as one of the safest states in Nigeria. We will therefore not want anything that will disrupt the pervading peace which we have been enjoying all these years.
“This is why I am appealing to our royal fathers to help us talk to your subjects on the need to maintain peace, especially as elections into our local governments approach. We should realize that it is only in the atmosphere of peace that there can be development.’’
He also reeled out his administration’s achievements in the areas of road construction, the establishment of a technical university which he described as the first of its kind in Nigeria, infrastructure, education, health and agriculture.
In his speech, Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji said that the ‘unprecedented’ achievements of the Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, qualify him for another term in office were it not for constitutional impediment that restricts governors to two terms in office.
Similarly, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has expressed ‘surprise’ at the pace of road constructions and other ongoing projects across the state, notwithstanding the pervading economic downturn in the country.
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan
