Rowdy session, as Deji of Akure’s aides, chief disrupt Ondo Assembly’s public hearing on LCDAs creation

By OUR REPORTER, Akure

“You can see a sample of what the peaceful people of Isinkan have been enduring here today. My Distinguished Honourables, sequel to extensive consultations with our people in Isinkan and its adjoining communities, villages and farm settlements, we wish to sincerely convey our delight with the naming of Isinkan as the Headquarters of the new LCDA,” Iralepo said.

The Public Hearing, organised by Ondo State House of Assembly over Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN)’s sponsored Bill requesting legislative approval for his creation of 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) out of the existing 18 Local Government Areas in the state, was met with rowdy session and protests, mounted by identifiable persons from the Palace of Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, on Thursday.

According to Our Reporter, the rowdy session almost marred the public hearing, held at the International Culture ans Event Centre in Akure, the state capital, to brainstorm on the document that would eventually give legal backing to creation of the 33 Local Council Development Areas to complement the existing 18 Local Government Areas in Ondo State.

The DEFENDER reports that in the new local councils administration arrangement, Isinkan, the township of His Royal Highness Oba Oluwagbemiga Ojo Olofin-Adimula Arulewolasi III, the Iralepo of Isinkan, made it to being Headquarters of Akure West Local Council Development Area among others proposed in the Bill.

While Oyemekun and Akure East LCDAs are also proposed to now stand alone as council administrative bodies in the core and vital South West state, Isolo Kingdom had filed an appeal to the state governor to address the missing of another vital autonomous community, Isolo LCDA, in the new council creation.

The Thursday’s public hearing disruption was led by individuals identified in video and photographs to be supporters of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, who wanted to stop the Iralepo of Isinkan, Oba Oluwagbemiga Ojo Olofin-Adimula, from making his presentation on the need to create Isinkan LCDA to bring government presence closer to the people of Isinkan Kingdom.

The process was orderly and peaceful as other traditional rulers made their presentations even where their opinions defer until it was the turn of Akure South Local Government, where people from palace of first class king as of Deji of Akure and from whom nothing short of decorum was expected,  threw caution into the wind as they tried to cause confusion

The attitude of the identifiabke Deji’s aides prompted scores of youths from communities in Isinkan, who rose in defense of their king.

It took intervention of the Speaker and security agents at the event to restore normalcy after about twenty minutes that the Akure monarch’s aides held the public hearing down with their disruptions.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Oladimeji Oladiji, had to wade in, to ensure orderliness as the disrupting elements were given staunch warning to behave themselves and be careful.

The Speaker insisted that the Iralepo must have his say on behalf of his community and after the rowdy session had, therefore, subsided, Oba Ojo Olofin-Adimula still had his way as he was given the ample of time to make his presentation.

Addressing the gathering thereafter, the Iralepo, a lawyer by discipline, thanked the state governor for the creation of LCDAs across Ondo State including his domain.

“We the people of Isinkan land and the communities, villages and farm settlements across Isinkan land are immensely grateful to the government of Ondo State under the able leadership of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN and Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa as well as members of the Ondo State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji and the Deputy Speaker Prince Abayomi Akinruntan for their wisdom in rectifying an agelong suppression through the making of Isinkan town the Headquarters of the proposed Akure West LCDA. Thank you,” he said.

In his prayers, the king made case for the appeal of Isinkan people seeking the magnanimity of the government to permanently correct the issue of identity by changing the name of the proposed council from the initial Akure West LCDA to either Isinkan or Isokan LCDA, which comprises Ward One, Ward Two and Ward Three in the old Akure South Local Government Area.

The Iralepo said, “You can see a sample of what the peaceful people of Isinkan have been enduring here today. My Distinguished Honourables, sequel to extensive consultations with our people in Isinkan and its adjoining communities, villages and farm settlements, we wish to sincerely convey our delight with the naming of Isinkan as the Headquarters of the new LCDA.

“We however also wish to respectfully propose the following alternative nomenclatures as the name of the LCDA: Proposed Option I – Ìsìnkàn LCDA Propose Option II – Ìsòkan LCDA. Isinkan means one worship. Isokan means unity. This is our primary identity. We are not quarrelsome people. We are peace lovers.

“We plead with you to give us an identity that reflects our history, tradition and heritage. Every inch of land in the areas earmarked is Isinkan land. More importantly, it is for identity. We all bear Ondo State today yet, it does not mean that we are all from Ekimogun.”

In an interview, the Iralepo said Isinkan is prepared for the LCDA, noting that sons and daughters of the kingdom have raised substantial money in support of the council after the news of the creation.

“You can see that all Isinkan people at the public hearing today comported themselves as noble people. The individuals that attempted to disrupt the event were from one palace and their identities are no secret to security men. They are not from our communities. Their sponsor wants to dictate our life in a democracy.”

Corroborating the traditional ruler, Mr. Arowosafe Ajagunna, a lawyer from Ikare Akoko, opined that by the rule of LCDA creation, it is only the people of Isinkan and environ that should complain.

“It is a shame. It only shows their actions were premeditated. The effective regulation guiding local government creation is clearly spelt out in the 1999 constitution”.

“It is only the Iralepo and his people in Isinkan that have locus to complain. People from other parts of the state or the extant LGA cannot put mouth. What they tried to do today was illegal and it was good that the Speaker shut them up,’ he concluded.

Some communities also protested the alleged ceding of their towns and villages to other local governments, others wanted the change of the headquarters from one place to another.

Other petitions submitted by various stakeholders included changes in the names of some LCDAs, and change in the citing of headquarters while some clamoured for additional LCDAs.

The Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, saluted the visionary leadership of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for choosing to toe the line of other South West states which had earlier created their LCDAS to fast-track development at the grassroots.