Explains take over of NURTW headquarters
The Oyo State government Monday sealed off the International Institute of Journalism situated at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Not too long ago, the government also revoked the Certificate of Occupancy of the land where the headquarters of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, is built at the Olomi area of the city.

Oyebamiji...believes the administration will return in 2011

Alhaji Moshood Kolawole Oyebamiji is the Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Survey. You hardly know he is a commissioner from the way he relates with his subordinates. He is an amiable gentle man to the core.

He was formerly in the Ministry of Establishment before he was redeployed to Lands. He spoke to Leke Adeseri, Regional Editor, South West and Ola Ajayi on these seemingly controversial decisions and other land matters in the state.

The government seems bent on taking over the NUJ’s Press Centre at Iyaganku, why?

You people did not follow due process in acquiring it. NUJ is saying it hired it and when you hire something, there should be some agreement.

Some of them came to me and said they should be allowed to finish their exams. But, I told them, if you want that land, why can’t you pay for it.

May be they can’t afford it

That I don’t know.

But how much do you think it would cost?

I wouldn’t know. That depends on the expertise of a Quantity Surveyor and valuation. They are not showing interest in buying the land. They only want to have it permanently.

Is the State Government friendly with the NUJ?

Yes. The State Government is friendly with the NUJ.

But, it is not like this in other states?

Laughter…..and a long pause….uhnuhn….there are so many ways of being friendly with the NUJ. That is their own way of showing friendship. We have our own methods of showing friendship.

Then how are you showing your own friendship to the union?

There are other ways we are using to show friendship to the NUJ. They cannot deny that. But on this land issue, due process must be followed. If we do it our own way now, other people are coming who would not recognize it.

What legacy does this administration want to leave behind that NUJ would remember it for?

We are friends to everybody including the NUJ. If they request for something that is within the ambit of the Law, we would give it to them. And when we give advice, why can’t you do it this way, they should be able to heed, but, they want to show they are wise. Let us do something in a way we would honour each other. You get what I mean?

The Governor has been complaining that journalists in the state have not been fair in their reports of the activities of his administration, is he taking his own pound of flesh now?

No. I don’t see it like that. In any case, I want to advise that whatever you do, you would reap it. If I’m destroying you, I’m destroying myself because at the end of the day, nemesis would come. If you say you want to destroy A, B, C, you will reap it. God would judge and what God would do, He would do it. If  I do bad to you, I will reap it and if I do good to you, I will reap it.

If you say I want to destroy this man, don’t mid him. Somebody who is higher than the two of you is watching and he would judge. In any case, by the special Grace of God, we are going to spend another four years.

Why did you go with Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC to put seal on the office of the NURTW at Olomi area of Ibadan?

You have to understand the kind of people they are. You know that a dog that is going to the Lion’s den has to prepare. They were there for security purpose. That is all.

Question people are asking is why now?

Necessity is the mother of invention.

How?

It is loaded. Claps

Necessity is the mother of invention, something can be there for 50 years without it being touched.  If a land is there for 50 years and they come that they need it for a purpose.

The relationship between the government and the union had been so cordial until now. During and after the 11 months controversial reign, the government and the union were like Siamese twins. Why has the relationship suddenly gone sour?

Like I said a while ago that necessity is the mother of invention. That place(NURTW Olomi Secretariat) has become chaotic. Ordinary people passing by had been attacked and maimed by the union. The government investigated and found out that something had to be done. We want peace for everybody including them too.

Don’t you think that there could not have been any crisis if the State Government had allowed the order of the National Industrial Court to be implemented?

There had been before then. At times, when these people are giving judgment, they don’t know what operates in the environment. They don’t know what is really happening there. It is what is before them they use to give judgment.

What exactly has Tokyo done?

He has not done anything. He is just a leader of a faction of the NURTW. In any case, they have been proscribed in Oyo State. Uhhhn…. I don’t want you to patronize the issue.

The State Government is seen as an institution that should obey the Rule of Law. Why is it dilly_dallying on the issue?

We are not dilly_dallying. Everything is done in the interest of peace and tranquility in the state. If two of your children are fighting and one elderly man comes and says…….unnhh. You mean everything would just die down like that. We should be not be foolish. If anything happens, people would be pointing accusing finger on the government if it did not act on time.

Now that you have sealed up the secretariat, do we have peace there now?

Yes, there is relative peace there now. It is not right for anybody to attack them there because they have been proscribed. At least, they have been controlled.

We have been following how events unfold in the union, it seems the State Government is sympathetic to one of the factions_ and that is Eleweomo’s faction.

You are entitled to your opinion. It is a personal opinion.

No, we have reasons.

Giggling. Nooooo.

Actually, the government said it would take over the parks but at the end of the day, the government appointed Eleweomo’s men to man the parks and collect revenue.

It is not true. It is the actual responsibility of the local governments to take over the parks.
But, we can identify Eleweomo’s men and we see them as revenue collectors in the parks.

We don’t know them. Everybody comes to us so far you are not a criminal.

Why is government dabbling into so many things. Look at the Government Reservation Areas that have been sold by this government.

Do you want development and progress?

Yes, we do.

If you want, then there should be story and it would be a continuous exercise. Some of the houses are dilapidated. You cannot live there and I cannot live there.

But, people are not complaining

If they are not complaining and one day the building collapses and kills them, then you would say they are not doing anything in the state. That is what people can say.

Let us assume the government wants to develop Oyo State. What about the allegations that the properties are being sold to politicians who are in the same political camp with the governor?

No, what happened is this. It is a matter of luck. When they advertised,  people bided for it and it was given to the highest bidder. They made allegations here and there even up to Abuja. And when you are on the right track, you don’t have anything to be afraid of. I doubt what you do that people would not complain.

However, careful, tidy, organized you are, you would still offend some people.

Let us leave Ibadan city alone because Ibadan is not the only one in Oyo State. Let us go to the hinterland, what other land policies you have?

We have our GRA in Ogbomoso, Saki. We about to start from Ogbomoso. And we are acquiring more lands.
Another problem in Oyo State is the issue of grazing of animals.

It is the duty of everyone of us not only my duty. You allow your cattle to eat up my farm and you say you want peace. How? We are trying to prepare a place or grazing of animals. But, you know they are nomads.

They move about with their animals.  Some of them don’t even understand what we are saying. If they don’t destroy peoples farms, there is no problem. These people are recalcitrant.

You are a major stakeholder in Oyo politics. Look at the issue of Ibadan  indigenes, they are saying they don’t want your government to come back in 2011.

In this government. Out of 16 commissioners, Ibadan indigenes are eight. We are saying he is coming back by the grace of God. In any case, those who are opposing us now did not support us when we were coming in.

During Ladoja’s tenure, he told the people to vote for AC and  ANPP. Who are those people?

Gbolarumi was the deputy Governor and he is ………..

Interupts… Not even Gbolarumi, he cannot go anywhere, He is in the PDP and he will stay in the PDP. Those people shouting ganged up against us. But the Almighty God in his infinite mercies said Adebayo Alao-Akala is the governor and he is the governor. And in any case, they are only putting Ibadan people into problem.

They are just enlightening other people who are not Ibadan and they are in this state. Except they create another state, they would still continue to cohabit together, You are saying somebody should not be there because he is from a particular area. What are we then saying about the country

In 2007, we contested election and won. This time around, we have a lot of things to show that we are performing.

What are the achievements of this administration so far?

See a lot of roads and many other infrastructures.

They(opponents) are now threatening they would leave the PDP. They did not support us in 2007 and we won.

If Akala had not won then, what would they have done. Would they still be saying they are members of the PDP? No. they won’t say so. With the achievements we have recorded across the state, they would speak for us in 2011. By the grace of God, we will come back.