Governor Abiola Ajimobi has described the purchase and distribution of cars for 36 newly elevated Obas in Ibadan and other parts of the state as an attestation of his administration’s commitment to the upliftment and modernisation of chieftaincy institution in the state.
He warned his critics not to see it as extravagant or father Christmas spending by the government.
Rather, he said the government decided to procure the vehicles because “record confirmed that there are logistics, safety and security challenges facing our royal father. Our effort to intervene in these areas should therefore not be misinterpreted or misunderstood.”
The 36 traditional rulers across the state have been documented in the recently published elevation of beaded and coronet wearing crowns to monarchs in the state.
The cars presentation was held at Governor’s Office car park, beside parliament building, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan.
The programme had in attendance the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi; the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola, among others.
But the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Ajagungbade, were not at the event.
The list of the 36 kings that received the cars from the government today, included eight members of Olubadan-in-Council, now Obas-in-Council led by the second-in-command to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, and the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakukehin.
Other beneficiary monarchs include the Onpetu of Ijeru in Ogbomoso, Oba Sunday Oladapo; the Sabigana of Iganna on Oke-Ogun axis of the state, Oba Abdul-Azeez Oyemonla; the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon from Ogbomoso division of the state, Oba Francis Olusola Alao, among others.
