| Ekiti: Why Community Adopts Oni as Son |
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| Written by Joseph Ogunsemi | |
| Tuesday, 05 August 2008 | |
It was the day Governor Segun Oni commissioned the asphalt overlay road that leads to the agro-peopled town founded in the 11th century. Ido-Ile, originally known and addressed as Ido Ajinare never enjoyed motorable road since its creation. Successive governments, including military and civilian in the defunct western region old Ondo State from where Ekiti State was carved out in 1996 always made eloquent failed promises to the people, majority of who are peasant farmers.
In fact, when Engineer Oni told the people of Ido Ile during his electioneering campaign in February, 2007 that he would ensure the completion of the construction of the road already awarded by Brigadier General Adetunji Idowu Olurin, the then Military Administrator, within a year of his assumption of office if voted into power, they never took him serious. Their pessimism could be understood. It was not the first assurance given them, especially by politicians canvassing for votes or military rulers soliciting for legitimacy.
As early as 7 a.m, on that eventful day, thousands of the community dwellers had thronged out to Ita-Ido junction along Aramoko Ekiti road enroute Ado Ekiti to receive Governor Oni, who was believed to have destroyed the jinx on the road that had been awarded and re-awarded several times by past governments, all to no avail.
Local hunters lined the road, shooting sporadically into the sky while traditional and cultural groups also dressed in thrilling outfits to entertain the man who made them to have a feel of dividend of democracy. The traditional ruler of the town, His Royal Majesty, Oba Aderemi Obaleye, the Olojudo of Ido Ile also led all traditional chiefs of the town to receive the governor.
The monarch was full of excitement at the event, where top government functionaries, including the deputy governor, Dr. Sikiru Tae Lawal , commissioner for works and infrastructure, Prince Tunji Olatunde ands Chief of Staff to the governor, Barr. Segun Ilori were present.
The 32nd monarch of the town told the gathering that “today we are celebrating the realization of what we have been longing for over the years. We have walking through the bush path since the creation of our town in the 11th century. It was only in 1920 that the white men assisted us in grading the road.
“Since the attainment of independence governments have been promising us of tarred road but all of them have been disappointing us. It has been our aspiration to have a good road and we have vowed that any governor that meets our aspiration will be adopted as our son and be conferred with one of the highest chieftaincy titles in our community.
“Today, Governor Oni has written his name in gold and we are very proud to have him as our son.”
Oba Obaleye recalled that the people of his town had suffered for too long over the inability of past governments to construct the road, saying many of our agricultural products had wasted because they could not be transported to the market.
The monarch also narrated how a night guard would have killed an indigene of the town who was returning home after the completion of her course overseas. He narrated the incident thus:”Lady Deborah Opeyemi Jibowu, the wife of former late Justice Muyiwa Jibowu and the first born of late Oba John Odundun Fasanmade returned from the United Kingdom in 1948.When she got to Ita- Ido there was no vehicle convey her to the town (IdoIle), so had had to carry her luggage on her head and started trekking home.
“Mid way, the elegantly built light complexioned princess was accosted by a native hunter who mistook her for a ghost. He wanted to kill her but providence. The hunter said Lady Jibowu was just too beautiful to be killed .I think God really intervened. That was how the first woman graduate in Ekiti would have been wasted because of government’s failure to construct road for us.
“I must restate that because Governor Oni met our yearnings and aspirations we, the people of Ido Ile have adopted him as our son and any time he is doing anything at Ifaki Ekiti, his home town either while in office or after leaving, we will always be available to play our role for our dependable son”
As Oliver Twist, the monarch pleaded with Governor Oni to expand the Ido Ile water reservoir, just as Professor (Mrs) Olufunke Egunjobi, former commissioner for education in the old Ondo State and later acting Vice Chancellor, University of Ado Ekiti declared the posterity would never forget Governor Oni for the completion of the Ido Ile road.
The professor of Nemathology and Iyalode of Ido-Ile commended Governor Oni, reiterating that “no government has ever done this for us. We are immensely grateful to this government and very proud to identify with it.”
The people of Ido –Ile may not be the only one to adopt Governor Oni, other communities may be planning similar thing as at least 340km roads are being constructed by his administration across the State and N2billion water projects nearing completion, among other people-oriented projects
Ogunsemi is the Special Assistant (Public Communications) to the Deputy Governor |
Therefore,
July 31, to the people of Ido- Ile was a day the good Lord had chosen
for redeeming failed promises of past governments. It was a day to
thank God and show appreciation to the man who God used to deliver the
good tidings. To them, nothing was too much to celebrate the joyous
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