Every May 29th, since the beginning of this republic, is celebrated as Democracy Day but somewhere in Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, last Saturday, Democracy Day, was the day the crème-de-crème of Ibadanland converged to chart a new course for the socio-economic development of the ancient city and its environs.
The roll call of people who stormed Olugbade Hall, the venue of the event, revealed guests who were determined (as evident in their submissions) to rid Ibadan of its socio-economic problems that have prevented it from achieving its true potential.
After hours of contributions from representatives of the various groups, the resolutions of the gathering as read by Chief Yemi Soladoye, the outgoing President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), among other submissions include the need for Ibadan Chiefs and Mogajis to protect and strengthen the Ibadan traditional institutions as symbolized in Olubadan of Ibadanland against any form of desecration.
This according to Chief Soladoye can only be achieved if every Chief in Ibadan sees Olubadan of Ibadanland and socio-economic development of Ibadan as his responsibility that must be taken care of at all times.
Chief Yemi Soladoye who confessed that Ibadan has never witnessed the convergence of such eminent Ibadan title holders under a single roof also decried the situation where titles holders in Ibadan have left the maintenance and advancement of traditional institutions in the hands of government, saying that the situation has made the once sacred institution to lose some of its glamour and respect.
In his address, the convener of the meeting, Chief Dotun Sanusi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, submitted that the upsurge in the crime rates experienced within Ibadan metropolis in recent times is as a result of neglect of the social responsibility of Ibadan title holders to their respective compounds.
Chief Sanusi who is also the financier of the meeting declared that as much as the youths are not meaningfully engaged, the insecurity might continue to linger on for long.
Chief Sanusi, therefore, called for the establishment of sporting competitions among the numerous compounds that make up Ibadan as a way of taking the youths away from the crime and subsequently give them a decent living.
While, citing the example of Ridwan Oyekola Scorpion, the current World Boxing Federation Super Featherweight Champion who before venturing into boxing as a profession he was a street urchin and was known for his street violence at Oje area of Ibadan, he declared that the idea might look implementable but assured that strong wills from everyone concerned, the competition will be a success.
He concluded his speech by advocating for revitalization of occupation that is indigenous to every compound in Ibadan saying that a commercial festival that comprised all the compounds will not only keep the issue of youths’ gangsterism at bay but it will also make commercial activities to be buoyant in Ibadan.
Earlier in his address, Chief Bayo Oyero, former CCII president-general and Chairman, Ibadan Muslim Community enjoined all the eminent dignitaries present to shun the habit of running away from their respective family compounds, adding that absence of learned people in the compounds has paved way for some unscrupulous youths to take over such compounds for their nefarious activities.
Other speakers like Abas Oloko, Chief Taofeek Adegboyega and others attributed some of the mayhems witnessed at the outskirts of Ibadan to the activities of land grabbers who according to them are on the payroll of some estate agents whose preoccupation they say is to take lands illegally from the rightful owners and then re-sell to unsuspecting customers
They fingered some Baales of these communities as ones who gave the Estate Agents some backings to commit these unlawful activities.
They therefore appealed to Olubadan to look into the issue with a view to putting the situations under a permanent control.
In his vote of thanks, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso I, thanked Chief Dotun Sanusi for coming up with such a rare initiative and consequently followed it up with sponsorship efforts
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