Cont’d from last edition
Recently, governors of the south west launched the regional security outfit code named Operation Amotekun. What is your view about the development?
This is the best thing to happen to the Southwest part of Nigeria today because we have been challenged. The experiences of our people for sometimes now have not been palatable. We have experienced kidnapping, destruction of our farms, a lot of negative occurencies. That is the more reason the governors of the Southwest decided to put up Amotekun.
It is a welcome development and all the Obas in Yourbaland are in support of it and l, particularly. Amotekun is an home grown security outfit and all the officers are indigenes of the various communities. Owo for instance, if there are security challenges then they will know how to curb the situation as put in place by the governors. It is not a parallel security outfit to the police or other security outfits but they are to work hand in hand with then, they are to assist in championing security challenges.
Do you think this will curb the menace of kidnapping for rituals ,herdsmen/farmers clash?
Yes, it will reduce it drastically. These security challenges may not be totally controlled, but largely, it will reduce the menace of kidnapping, herdsmen invasion and destruction of our farmlands by cattle.
The involvement of traditional rulers in politics. Your comment.
Traditional rulers are not politicians but we are the leaders. We are fathers to the politicians and we can as well give directions when there is the need. If we know a politician is performing and we still need that person to do more, we can point it to our people. We can give the direction to our people that such person is doing well and will do more and should be encouraged. We are the owners of the land and it is our duty to tell our people .
Over the years, there have been calls for constitutional roles for our traditional rulers. What is your position on this?
It is long overdue. As l said earlier, the traditional rulers are the owners of the land. How do you explain a situation where the owners of the land are shut out of the system. It is very wrong, maybe that is the reason the present Nigeria Constitution is not working. Compared with the British system, the Queen is the head of government and this can also be the same process in Nigeria. There should be constitutional recognition for traditional rulers in Nigeria. In summary traditional rulers should be given constitutional recognition. That is how it should be because we are the closest to the people. The ordinary Nigerian whom the traditional rulers are representing are the closest to them, so there is no reason why there should be no constitutional role for traditional rulers.
The palace of Olowo is the largest in Africa. How do you maintain it and also ensures it continue to enjoy that status?
That is the more reason l said the system is not that okay. You must have seen the palace yourself and the part you have seen is a very small part of the entire place. I can tell you that apart from the little stipend coming from the local government, the only source of fund is through the support of my people who have been assisting largely. You cannot compare the little we receive here with what our brothers in the Northern part of the country are receiving. They are being taken care of by the system and their palace. I even learnt the maintenance of their horses are being budgeted for by the system but nothing like that in the Southwest and l don’t know what is really happening in the Southwest.
If this palace is the largest in Africa, it is a symbol for the state and a symbol for our people and we need fund for its maintenance and its status and even to improve on it. That is the more reason l said the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria, should not only be ammended, but should be looked into in its totality so that traditional rulers and the maintenance of their palaces will be well taken care of.
An Owo son is a major contender in the October 10, 2020 Governorship election in the state. Although as a traditional ruler you are not supposed to be partisan, what is your position on this ?
As you said, I am not a politician but if I see something good I must tell my people, I must tell the people of Ondo state. As a resident of Ondo State, over the years, you must have seen the difference since the assumption of office of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as the Governor of the state, It has been a clear departure from the past. You see visible development , not propaganda. Are you talking of road networks across the length and breath of Ondo State, they are feasible, they are verifiable. If we are talking about roads, go to Akure the state capital, it is wearing a new look and has been turned to a modern state capital in terms of good road, dualised roads across the length and breadth of the state capital. Come to Owo here, we have a dualised road built by Akeredolu. As he was doing that of Akure, he was also doing that of Owo and Ikare . How about the Ore Interchange Flyover, the Ore industrial hub, Liyin Industries? Since Pa Adekunle Ajasin of blessed memory, no government has built any industry in Ondo State but go to Ore now, you will see not less than five functional industries working there.
Road network everywhere South, Central and the Northern Districts. What of the Kamomi Aketi which has made potable water available everywhere. The bitumen which successive governments have not been able to actualize, has started by Arakunrin Akeredolu and the equipment are there and which will open up the business life of the state is taking shape. Arakunin is now working on it and within a short time it will commence operation.
So, as a traditional ruler and I have seen all these, I should tell my people we have never had it so good like this and who has done all these should be supported. This is a government that must be supported and ensure that it returns to office so that at the end, our people will be the beneficiaries.
You know I came in from a civil service background, civil servants are being owed seven months salary before he came into office. You see people dropping dead because they could not afford a square meal, people could not afford essential drugs that they needed and as result of that people were dying because salaries were not paid. When Arakunrin came, he cleared the backlogs and he has been paying salaries up to date and people are saying these are not achievements. To me, they are achievements. If somebody has done that, compared to past experience, such a government must be allowed to continue and that is why I am in support of Arakunrin to go for a second term in office.
Owo is the political gateway in the Southwest for the fact that the Action Group was launched here in this palace. Would you say Owo as a place has faired well in the political journey in Nigeria?
Owo has always been in leadership position in terms of politics in Nigeria. Over time you must see one Owo man in political leadership in the country. At a time Chief Adekunle Ajasin was there then when the Action Group was formed. He later became the Governor of old Ondo State, the first civilian governor for that matter. Now we have Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who has been able to excel in every section to provide excellent leadership for the people of the state. He is the governor now and we thank God for his life. We also have other political leaders of Owo descent. In actual fact, Owo is a political school. Let me put it that way.
What message do you have for the people of Owo spread across the length and breadth of the world.
As we are today, Owo is one united family. We should ensure the continuity of the unity. We should ensure that the peaceful co-existence continues.
We should protect the common interest of the people. It should be in our heart that only in unity we can achieve our developmental agenda, and let us also know that Arakunrin Akeredolu is our son and we should support him to get a second term.
Your words of advice to the people of Owo on the need to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during the forth coming Governorship Election in the State.
I know that there will be peace in Owo. There is peace now. My advice to my people is that there is nothing that can be more than peaceful co-existence. we should all conduct ourselves in orderly and peaceful manner during and after the election.
Concluded.
Kabiyesi has spoken and that ends everything.