Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, has said empires have given way to new global power structures, assuring that members of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs will support Olubadan of Ibadan as the chairman.
He stated this while hosting the governor in his palace at Orile-Igbon on Friday, adding that members of the Council will give enough support to the new chairman, Oba Rashidi Ladoja.
Some other traditional rulers in Surulere Local Government Area joined the Olugbon to welcome Governor Makinde to the palace.
Oba Alao, who thanked the governor for the visit, assured that he, and other members of the council of obas were behind Makinde.
He also assured that Oba Ladoja will enjoy the support of members of the council across the five zones in the state, including Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa.
The traditional ruler, who is the deputy chairman of the Council, said: “Your Excellency, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, we appreciate you for coming here.
“And I will like to take this opportunity to explain that the government has done what is needful on the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs. We are in support of the decision.
“Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs has now been re-inaugurated. And we have a new chairman in the person of His Excellency, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadan.
“I want to assure Your Excellency that we are all one in the council. We are united across the five zones – Ogbomoso, Ibadan, Oyo, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa. People can say things but we are members of one united family.”
Responding, the governor said: “I came here over what happened in Oloka. I have visited there, and I assured them that their government will not fail them. The people own this government.
“I am also assuring the people of Surulere Local Government Area and everyone in Ogbomoso Zone that development projects will spread across all the five local governments in Ogbomoso Zone. I only ask for your cooperation.”
The traditional rulers that joined the Olugbon to receive Makinde were the Aresapa of Iresa pupa, Oba Moses Ajiboye; Aranyin of Iranyin, Oba Lasisi Olagbemileke; Olujado of Ijado, Oba Hammed Adegbile and Iba Abogunde Tajudeen Aminullahi.
In an additional comment to the Olugbon stressed the need for the traditional system to embrace contemporary reality, saying empires have given way to new global power structures.
“The world is not static but dynamic in nature. In the past centuries, there were the Roman, French and British empires which ruled the world.
“But looking at today’s world order the United States, Russia and emerging China are the leading powerful nations.
“The system we are operating in Nigeria is not monarchy. I implore all traditional rulers across the state to cooperate with the government of the day.
“There is no perfection in government decisions. We just need deeper understanding of our collective will in entrenching good governance, promoting economic development, security and peaceful co existence in our dear state.
“Modernity has restructured the governance system in Nigeria,” Oba Olushola Alao further declared.
Recalled that Governor Makinde re-inaugurated the council of obas on Thursday with the Olubadan of Ibadan as its chairman. He will serve a tenure of two years.
Prior to the inauguration on Thursday the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs had been held down by litigation for 15 years.
