The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has accused Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun of disliking people of Ijebu extraction in the state.
However, speaking during the 3rd Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance Lecture organised to celebrate his 85th birthday and 59th year on the throne on Friday, the traditional ruler said despite his alleged dislike for Ijebu, Amosun showed him love.
This lecture titled, ‘Grassroots: The Soft Underbelly of Nigeria’s Political Architecture’, was delivered by Prof Ayo Olukotun of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.
The Awujale, who spoke in Yoruba, said Ijebu people were maltreated by the governor during his eight years in office.
He said, “Amosun does not like the Ijebu people but he is my friend. He loves me and he is close to me, but when you claim to love me and hate Ijebu people, automatically, you hate me too.”
However, the monarch commended Amosun, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, at the event, for his support.
He said, “I must thank Governor Amosun because he stood by me but that is not enough. For you to have thrown stones at an Ijebu person, you have thrown stones at me.
“So, whatever has happened has happened and is gone. So, I want us all to come together and do things together so that we can together achieve our desired country.
On the country, Awujale said, “Many people are fed up with the situation of things in the country because many of the things in our hands now are fake. When everybody is tired of the situation, we must go back to the way we did things in the olden days ultimately.
“In those days, the traditional ruler was the government the people picked for themselves. But now, they are now motor park boys who come from the politicians.
“But what do we do? May God save us all from this. To correct this, we must go back to the way we did things in the olden era when the people picked one of them.”
Olukotun said the much-touted local government autonomy would not guarantee good governance at the grass roots.
He said, “Interesting as that proposal is, it does not guarantee that the local governments so enhanced will serve the interests of the people or be fully accountable to them. It would also seem to run against the grain of true federalism, if local governments are disconnected from the states which warehouse them.”
*The PUNCH
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