Remarks On The Demands Of Oyo People As Posited By Sheikh M’Daud Ahmad Tijani Igi Ogun
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After watching the video which was circulated on social media not less than 48 hours ago, in the footage which was authored by a popular Islamic cleric from the ancient town of Oyo Alaafin, Sheikh M’Daud Ahmad Tijani Igi Ogun, where he was appealing to Governor Makinde, expressed the grievance of the Oyo people, I consider it necessary to give my remark.
As much as I salute the doggedness and advocacy spirit of Sheikh Igi Ogun, his expression of love and interest for the community is an herculean task expected of everyone of us to exercise as a patriotic citizen. It’s therefore important to make some clarifications on the obvious.
The cleric whom I hold in high esteem due to the many records of developments he singlehandedly facilitated to Oyo town through his relationship with the former Governor of Osun State and Interior Minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
I want to admonish everyone to be very careful in our sentimental approach, not to foil the ember of discord between the people, all in the name of religion and communal segregation. We should be mindful of our utterances and never be a tool to instigate violence amidst our own people. We should always remember that which binds us together above other things. This is a period when we should preach and entertain the highest level of love amidst ourselves and shun anything that can cause religious violence.
In close to five minutes video, Sheikh Igi Ogun lamented on how the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has neglected the people of Oyo town and is not fulfilling his promises for the people and the zone. He emphatically stated that aside from Ibadan, Oyo town was the next place where Governor Makinde recorded the highest votes to emerge the 2019 election.
The one which seems to be the major point of his lamentation was on the appointment of top principal administrative officers of the defunct Emmanuel Alayande College of Education now Emmanuel Alayande University of Education sited in Oyo town. He said there’s no indigene of Oyo, particularly Muslims in the line up of the first thirty officers of the University.
There are some things that must be clearly analyzed in order not to render the agitations baseless.
Being a new University, it is the prerogative power of Governor Seyi Makinde to appoint the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor which he did in line with law.
The cleric stated that Oyo has the second highest vote for Governor Makinde in the 2019 election, that is far from the truth. Oyo people polled a total number of 49,863 votes for Governor Makinde in 2019. To break it down for proper analysis as per local government, total numbers of 14,636, 10,515, 12,132 and 12,580 were recorded in Atiba, Afijio, Oyo West and Oyo East respectively.
However, Ibadan having the highest number of local governments secured the total votes of 264,394 for Governor Makinde while Oke Ogun with their ten LGs polled a total of 110,480 votes, Ogbomoso having five LGs polled 47784 votes for Makinde, that was the only zone where the APC candidates won then. It was my zone with the lowest LGs, Ibarapa, that we secured the least votes of 35546 for GSM in 2019, obviously we have three local governments. Therefore, Oyo wasn’t next to Ibadan with the highest votes as claimed by Sheikh Igi Ogun.
Another point the cleric raised that should be cleared is about the management structure of the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education in Oyo. Even though the appointment is the pioneer, we can’t blame the Governor on the appointment of the principal appointments. As the Visitor of the university, it is a prerogative power vested on the Governor to appoint the first VC which he did in accordance to the law.
The question that should be asked is whether Oyo indigenes made permutations for those positions initially? What was the plan of the Oyo community after the announcement of the University’s upgrade? We should not forget that there are edicts that govern each institution, that I know it would be strictly followed to letter in the University because of the category of people that falls within the academic board. One would expect that Oyo people had lobbied with Governor Makinde on getting appointments for some of her people but I doubt that was ever done. What has been the input of the Oyo community to the development of the university since it was upgraded? As a community, it will be easy for us to champion things if we had perfected those fundamentals which have been put to question. It would be an act of nepotism if someone that has never applied for those positions were appointed and we should equally not forget protocols when we seek favouritism.
Sheikh Igi Ogun should also be reminded that Professor Ogunkunle Ayoade who happens to be the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education is an indigene of Oyo town. Which means, Oyo chairs the council which serves as the highest governing body of the institution.
With the position occupied by the Oyo born Professor, he would be responsible for formulating and overseeing the implementation of policies that guide the university such as appointments of officials, strategic planning, academic policies, fund raising and development amongst others.
The cleric while trying to buttress his points mentioned some institutions of which LAUTECH was not left out, where he claimed that Ogbomoso Indigenes have always benefited as top members of the management of the institution but contrary to his claim, only the current VC of the institution will be the first indigene of Ogbomoso that will be appointed out of the nine vice chancellors the university has produced. Also, aside from Professor Gbadegesin, another son of Oyo, Professor Nassar, has acted as the Vice Chancellor of LAUTECH.
Let me also authenticate this so that people will not be misguided with wrong information, the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education is not from Igboora but Eruwa. The two towns are under the Ibarapa zone but different communities entirely.
In an official statement released by the institution in reaction to the video, it was ascertained that both the Registrar and the Director of Works of the University are indigenes of Oyo town. Mrs Olubunmi Siju Asunmo, a Christian from Afijio, is the pioneer and current registrar of the university, and Architect Hammed Olawale Amuda, a Muslim from Oyo East is the Director of Works.
Good people of Oyo town, it’s high time to start charting a plan ahead of the time. Our people should get prepared, the next appointments should not come to them suddenly. It will be difficult for us to pull any stunt in a situation where our people didn’t put in for application or didn’t meet up with the merit required. Our people should be well informed. Oyo is the ancestral and royal source of all of Yorubas and should not renege in taking up her parenting responsibilities. Let’s remember that Oyo has equally given birth to different offspring and should be able to cater for their well-being. Ibadan, Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun, ara Oyo na ni gbogbo e. Let’s encourage unity amidst ourselves in the State.
To our dear father and leader in Islam, Sheikh M’Daud Ahmad Tijani Igi Ogun, I appreciate your love for Oyo town and the advocacy for the development, more strength sir. However, Oyo is still looking up to you, knowing fully well that your connection will help to facilitate more projects to the ancient city of Oyo.
I equally seize this opportunity to extend my solidarity with the good people of Oyo Alaafin in presenting the pressing demands of the constituency to the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde. Oyo people deserves the best from this government just like other places.
Comrade Adedokun Sunday Harshasha
otunbaharshasha@gmail.com
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