Ajimobi Insist He Will Not Depose Olubadan

Abiola Ajimobi, Governor of Oyo State.

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Aj‎imobi has vowed to resist pressure to depose the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji.The governor made the pledge yesterday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.Ajimobi explained that his decision to refrain from taking any drastic action arose from his respect for the traditional institution. He explained that though the Olubadan had committed many offences, the government was not disposed to removing him from office ‎because the matter had been politicised.

Ajimobi told State House correspondents That he was at the villa to update the President on the matter, adding that the Olubadan is his uncle whose relationship could not be sacrificed on the altar of politics.

He said: “I came to let him know that the Olubadan is my father. He is a younger brother to my father and we have had a very long relationship, which has been a father-son affiliation. “I assured the president that come rain, come shine, I would never depose the Olubadan, because he is a father and a son does not depose his father. Even though he has done so many things that could be used to remove him, I will never do so. We have to continue to show respect.”He stressed that he also informed the president that politicians had hijacked the chieftaincy declaration in the state.“Out of 11 council members, two are dead and it is only one member who is not supporting it and he is not in support because he is a politician.

“He wants to contest after I leave office. But let’s thank God that the elders, stakeholders and well- meaning Nigerians have intervened and I expect that reason would prevail,” he added.

Ajimobi added that besides other security and infrastructure challenges, his visit was to prevail on the Federal Government to hand over Ikere Gorge Dam to Oyo State for resuscitation.

According to him, the dam is the fourth largest earth dam in the world, with a reservoir of 690 million cubic meters. It stretches almost 50 kilometers and provides other benefits, including opportunities for farming, energy generation, irrigation, water supply for both household and industrial use.He said the dam could serve other states as Ogun and Lagos, adding that Dakin Kowa Dam in Gombe State was given back to the state in similar circumstances.