Laolu Elijah, Ibadan

CHAIRMAN, Community Heads of Ibadanland, Elder Taiye Ayorinde has made a passionate plea to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Mohood Olalekan Balogun Okunmade II to extend the recent promotion of Community Heads to crown-wearing kings to other five local governments within Ibadan metropolis.

He made the call yesterday when speaking with Vanguard in his Ekotedo residence of Ibadan.

While applauding the initiative of the Olubadan to review the chieftaincy system, he said attention too should be given to other local government areas within the Ibadan metropolis which were earlier excluded from the promotion.

Elder Ayorinde who spoke on behalf of other community heads in the city stated expressly that it would be a mistake to leave the other five local governments in the lurch while their counterparts were given promotion.

The five local government areas which are complaining include Ibadan North, Ibadan North East, Ibadan North West, Ibadan South East and Ibadan South West.

He said with the enormous power given to the Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde in the reviewed chieftaincy system bill, the governor should use his power to promote the remaining community heads.

Elder Ayorinde said,”We are pleading with Governor Seyi Makinde and the Olubadan of Ibadanland to review that aspect of the Law. There are more problems in the city than the less city. There are killings, burglaries and kidnappings within the city.

To show the importance of these local government areas, Olubadan appointed high chiefs to be his representatives there. There has to be review of the other local government areas in the city”.

Talking about the recent promotion by the Olubadan, he added, “there is no uniformity in this thing. I’m not in a position to query the Olubadan of Ibadanland because he is the prescribed and consenting authority on chieftaincy matters but he who goes to equity must go with clean hands”.

Few weeks ago, Olubadan promoted no fewer than 34 Community heads who are resident on the outskirts of Ibadan to crown wearing kings.

Ibadan city has eleven local government areas. Community heads in six of the local government areas were promoted while five are still left in the lurch.

The six local government areas whose community heads benefitted from the recent promotion to the status of kings include Akinyele, Ona Ara, Egbeda, Ido, Lagelu and Oluyole.