Oluwo salutes Ibadan for Yoruba freedom

By Stephen Gbadamosi

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba AbdulRashid Akanbi Adewale, at the weekend, praised the old Ibadan warriors for their gallantry at the famous Jalumi war, which he said signified, till date, the freedom being enjoyed by sons and daughters of Yorubaland.

The Iwo monarch, who spoke at the 2022 annual Aliiwo Day celebration held at the ancient Ali Iwo Palace, Agodi-Gate in Ibadan, recalled that but for the bravery of Ibadan warriors, ably supported by other warriors from different towns in Yorubaland, the Fulani would have overrun the present-day Yoruba nation and subjected them to the whims and caprices of their (Fulani) warlords.

At the programme, which had in attendance the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun; his kid brother and Oyo South senator, Dr. Kola Balogun; Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Lateef Adebimpe; former Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, among other dignitaries, the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, said the Yoruba had no business going to the National Boundary Adjustment Committee for land dispute resolution, in view of the love and oneness among the Yoruba towns and villages.

Oluwo expressed gladness at the occasion, describing his presence as home-coming and a further testimony of the bond existing between Iwo and Ibadan in general and Iwo and the present Olubadan in particular.

Laced with various songs of praise to God, the monarch’s speech drew great applause from the audience as he requested for the presence of Olubadan and other dignitaries at the upcoming Iwo Day later in the year.

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The CCII president-general, in his remark, said he was happy over the presence of the Oluwo and Olubadan at the event, noting that “thepresence of the two monarchs signified that an end has come to the problem between Ibadan and Iwo over land.

“What’s the business of Yoruba at the National Boundary Dispute Resolution Committee, when we can resolve whatever may be contentious among us amicably, in view of our brotherly love and oneness?

“I had thought of going to Iwo to see the Oluwo over the land dispute between the two brothers (Iwo and Ibadan) and you can only imagine how happy I’m that Oluwo is around.”

Prince Adeaga took the opportunity to appraise the performances of the representatives of the people, who are of Ibadan extraction at the legislative level of governance in the country and awarded them distinction, saying “our representatives are very responsible. In any examination, 70 per cent is a distinction which is what I award them. They are worthy of commendation and we are very proud of them.”

The leader reiterated the commitment of the apex body of all the socio-cultural organisations in Ibadanland to the completion of the ongoing new Olubadan Palace project at Oke-Are, with a promise that the project would be completed very soon and that the current Olubadan would be the first monarch to occupy it.