Kunle Adelabu
-Charges Ijede community over Obaship
The Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Bolaji Robert has charged Baales in Ikorodu Division over the forthcoming general elections by asking them to ensure that maximum votes are recorded.
He assured Baales that any community that galvanise support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential, Governorship and other candidates, will get support, especially in terms of upgrading their chieftaincy status.
Robert also charged the Regent of Ijede and entire residents of the ancient town to resolve their differences and allow installation of a new king.
He spoke at the Town Hall Meeting on Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) and Sensitisation on the forthcoming General Elections in Ikorodu, facilitated by the Ikorodu Divisional Council of Obas and Chiefs and held at the Ikorodu Ultra – Modern Town Hall on Monday, January 16, 2023.
At the event were His Royal Majesties, Oba (Engr.) Kabir adewale Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo and other Obas in Ikorodu Division.
“Our fathers have said a lot of things on what we are going to do (concerning the general elections). I was surprised when I got here and saw so many Chiefs. This alone is giving me assurance, because you, the elderly people, usually say that Baale is the owner of the community and if that is true, then what I am seeing here today is Baale, the owner of votes”, the Special Adviser to the Governor said.
He charged community heads on the need to work with traditional rulers in ensuring that residents collect their PVCs and vote en masse.
“Kabiyesi, I would like to draw your attention to something. Do you remember the last time we had a meeting with the Governor at the divisional level, when Ikorodu and Badagry were merged together. On that day, the Governor was angry about the low turnout and he almost cancelled the meeting. It means that the Baales are not close enough to the Kings and not doing their duties”, he said.
“Our government is ready to upgrade those in Part three to two and some in Part two to the status of Obas, but the ball is in your court, and one of the duties now is the election before us. This is one of the things that you can use to fight for your rights and development in your community”, he assured Baales in Ikorodu.
“We are pleading with the Baales to move closer with the Obas, so that they too can progress.
“Any community that is due for Obaship should inform the consenting Oba in the domain so as to perform necessary process for them to achieve that.
“But you must support your traditional rulers for them to extend hands of support to you too whenever you are in need of their help”.
He called for support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Presidential candidate of the APC, and re – election of Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu.
“The Presidential candidate of the APC is our son and we are not afraid because we know is going to work when he becomes the President and that is because of what he had done while in Lagos State. I believe that anyone who governs Lagos State can govern any country because Lagos State itself is more of a country”, the Special Adviser said.
“We all know that our Governor has done well in Lagos State, most especially in Ikorodu division. Imota rice mill, we have not had something like this in all Nigeria and in West Africa. Not long ago, the Governor turned the Polytechnic in Ikorodu into a University, he has done a lot of roads and he still has more to do. So, if we can give him one more chance, we will all be comparing our Lagos state to Dubai.
“We don’t have any fear over the re – election of the governor, Sen. Abiru and Hon. Babajimi Benson. Why we are saying all these is because winning the Presidential election must start with us, and we must ensure that he has maximum votes. We cannot count on votes coming from the north”, he added.
“I have no doubt about the people here today: traditional rulers, chiefs, Baales, CDAs, CDCs and market people. These are owners of the community. Let us double our efforts.
“Anyone that registered for PVC and failed to collect it is no different from a woman who aborted a pregnancy and anyone that collected his/her PVC but failed to vote is likened to someone that killed her child after birth”, he said.
Speaking on the protracted Obaship tussle in Ijede, the Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs charged the warring factions to settle their differences so that a new King can be installed.
“Our Regent from Ijede, may the Lord be with you. Ijede ought to have gotten a new King since. Ensure that all the differences preventing the emergence of a new Alajede, are settled, and stop giving money to lawyers over court matters”, he said.
