From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has revealed how he and the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, fought a battle with the Federal Government for the institution of traditional rulers to enjoy five per cent allocation from local government.
He made the revelation, yesterday, when the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero, visited him in Oyo town.
The Emir was accompanied by dignitaries, including Sarkin Samari, Agege, Lagos, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba Tafida; Oba of Yoruba in Kano, Alhaji Murtala Alimi; Chief Executive Officer, Lords Promotion/Consultant to the Emir of Kano, Dr. Olusegun Okeowo and Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Culture and Tourism, Akeem Ige.
According to Alaafin, “I have written a lot about the roles of traditional rulers and why the traditional people must be allowed to convene for the greater good of this country. I am happy with your late father; we fought a battle and won the five per cent allocation that every local government must set aside for traditional rulers from its allocation from Federal Government. I will continue to do my best to fight for the institution of traditional rulers. We are the bedrock of the society. If you take away traditional rulers from Nigeria, there will be no Nigeria again.”
Alaafin expressed reservations that the traditional rulers seem not to understand how Nigeria is being run again. He also referred to what the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, said recently that insurgents were dictating happenings in many communities in the North East.
“As Sultan said, people are being abducted in their homes. They don’t pick people on the roads again alone. They go to houses and abduct people. In our town, we’ll do our best for our people. We will continue to stand for peace to reign,” Oba Adeyemi stated.
Alhaji Ado-Bayero, earlier in his address, said: “It is an honour to visit the Alaafin today (Thursday) as we visit the Southwest tor the second time since ascending the position of our forefathers. We have come to Oyo to continue a very ancient relationship that was cultivated and nurtured by my late father. We have come to Oyo to seek the wisdom and blessings of Your Majesty. We have come to Oyo to demonstrate to our people that we are all tied by thread of common destiny.
“Modern day Oyo, like modern day Kano, is a centre of excellence in education, culture and commerce. It is, therefore, essential that we continue to demonstrate these qualities to the world and to generations of young Nigerians so that they may come to know our true history, which would re-enforce their confidence as they face a very challenging and globalized world. Luckily for me, I am with Baba today, whom I can say is an icon when it comes to history. May Allah continue to guide us all.”