Insecurity, dirty capital: Elder statesman asks Makinde to conduct census

…Condoles Bodija explosion victims

By Stephen Gbadamosi

Elder statesman and Baale of Ekotedo, Ibadan, Elder (Dr.) Taiye Ayorinde, has advised Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on the need to urgently conduct census of the people living in the state, particularly the state capital, Ibadan.

He posited that the move would help to curtail the spate of insecurity and environmental bastardisation of the state. He also condoled the victims of the recent Bodija explosion incident.

Elder Ayorinde spoke at the weekend during the end of year meeting of the Ekotedo Traditional Council where the 22 chiefs under him discussed state of the nation and the progress of Ekotedo and Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of the state.

“I say a big tank you to Governor Makinde for his promptness in the handling of the Bodija explosion. He didn’t waste time in bringing succor to the victims.

“I must use this occasion to say that Oyo State must conduct census to know the number of and kind of people living in the state, like then Governor Tinubu did in Lagos State.

“How many people are in each local government of Oyo State? I want governor Makinde to instruct the local government chairmen to get into a serious exercise to determine how many people are in each of their local government.

“What work are they doing? Are they indigenes? If not, where did they come from? Are they paying taxes?

“We have found out that shop owners have given shops to foreigners who have no traceable history. And they are using that opportunity to wreck havocs. For instance, in Ekotedo here, we have some shops where owners have given them to Northerners; and you have like six people sleeping in a shop where they don’t have a toilet. What they do is throw ‘short put’ on the streets. It’s not restricted to here; it’s all over the place.

“There is also the security risk in keeping them. We don’t have the history of where they came from.

“I use this opportunity to call on members of the Oyo State House of Assembly to call an emergency meeting of all baales in Ibadanland. I was the leader of all baales in Ibadan before. I am now the patron.

“Let us have an interactive session. We have drawn up a plan for census. How many people live in your house as a landlord? Where did your tenants come from? What guarantee do they have? What work do they do? Where do they do the work they say they are doing? Which state did they come from? Are they indigenes of non-indigenes? If you are an indigene, where is your village? We don’t have indigenes who don’t have villages.

“Another point is that we have seen that the Northerners have been buying houses and doing storage of all sorts of things there. That poses security risk.

“We need a meeting of all baales and it is very important. We need to meet with the government. Governor Makinde has been very impressive. We need to continue to move ahead. God bless him,” Chief Ayorinde said.

Speaking on the efforts of the council to impact on the wellness of the town, the Otun Iyalode of Ekotedo, Chief (Mrs.) Wuraola Adepoju, also said; “we do annual thanksgiving as a traditional council. We get together. Our impact on Ekotedo and Ibadan South-West is so much. We always make any new chief that is to be installed to do empowerment for the people. All the chiefs contribute money to pay for West African Examination Council (WAEC) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations of children of the needy in schools around us.”

Also, the Ekerin Baale of Ekotedo, Chief Babatunde Adeniran, said he impact of the traditional council had been wholesome.

The permanent secretary in the state’s Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and a tutor-general, said the efforts were not restricted to the North-West Local Government, adding that “we have shortage of water and the Baale had once called us to make impact in that area. We have also taken the education of the common Oyo State children as important.”

The occasion was marked by merriment and exchange of gifts among the chiefs, as a mark of camaraderie. Chief Oyerinde gifted all his chiefs beads.