The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Lekan Balogun on Friday commended the governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde over his decision not to dabble into the chieftaincy matters of the ancient metropolis.
Governor Makinde had through the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mrs Olufunmilayo Orisadeyi at the 86th birthday celebration and ‘Iwuye’ ceremony of Iyalode of Ibadanland, High Chief (Mrs.) Theresa Laduntan Oyekanmi held recently in Ibadan bared his mind on the lingering issue.
The Oyo State helmsman had pointedly told the mammoth crowd at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, venue of the twin ceremony that he would not be involved or interfere in the matter, ostensibly asking the royal fathers to sort themselves out.
Reacting to the position of the governor, Oba Balogun, while speaking with journalists during the celebration of his 77th birthday at his Alarere residence, Ibadan described the decision as highly commendable and the best approach to ensure lasting peace, not only in the state capital but in the entire state as a whole, stressing that anything contrary to that would have heated up the polity unnecessarily.
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According to Chief Balogun, who was full of praises to God for sound health, “the matter is already becoming less contentious in view of the current rapprochement between the hitherto two opposing camps. So, the neutrality of the governor on the issue is most welcomed and showed the governor as a matured administrator and man of peace.”
He recalled the last verdict of the Appeal Court which asked litigants to go back to the lower court for the retrial of the case as another impetus to calm the fray nerves, noting that it has become glaring to all that there’s nothing to flex muscles over.
Following the elevation of the Ibadan High Chiefs and some of the Baales to beaded crown and coronet wearing Obas by the immediate past administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the Ibadan Traditional Council was polarised into two opposing camps of Olubadan on one hand and the promoted High Chiefs and Baales on the other.
and then