Interview
Those running to join government in power are afraid of EFCC – Ladoja
Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja is the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland. He had served as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and former governor of Oyo State.
In this interview with Olusesan Laoye, he delved into the controversy surrounding the new amendment of the Council of Obas law in Oyo state, spate of defections going on in Nigeria, agitations of the Oke Ogun people clamouring to present the next governor of Oyo state in 2027, and the state of the nation generally.
Excerpts:
Your Royal Majesty, what is your take on the recent law passed by the Oyo State House of Assembly about the State’s House of Obas and Chiefs, which is still generating controversies among traditional rulers and the people of the state?
As far as I am concerned, the question should go to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly; notwithstanding, I will say that we have not seen the details of the law, when we see the details, that is when there will be full reactions on it.
But let us be frank about this, apart from the few adjustments said to have been made on it, what they have is not different from what existed during the governorship of Chief Adebayo Alao Akala.
The rotation of the Chairmanship of the council, since Governor Akala’s period, has always been between three paramount rulers – the Aalafin of Oyo, Soun of Ogbomoso, and the Olubadan of Ibadan. I used to tell people that my understanding of a paramount ruler, is a king that installs other kings.
Let me ask how many of these Obas complaining do install other Obas in their domains? All the traditional rulers listed to rotate the Chairmanship are kings who install other kings. How many traditional rulers in Oke Ogun are said to be complaining that they do not install other Obas?
All these rulers complaining, don’t have what it takes to be ranked with these Obas rotating the Chairmanship.
If it is based on population, they don’t have the numbers. Take, for instance, Ibadan has the largest population, 11 local governments, and even if it is based on voting strength at the State Assembly, Ibadan has the highest number of members.
The Oke Ogun you are talking about is not a single town like Ibadan, Oyo, and Ogbomoso, with many Local governments, it is an area. They are just together as an area and without affinity with one another .
Look at Atisbo, for example, can you tell me that the man in Tede and Agoare are together or can the Oba in Tede take instructions from that of Agoare? I just laughed, when people compare these towns with Ibadan, Oyo and Ogbomoso.
As for Ibadan, the Olubadan takes decision for all the towns in Ibadanland, as a paramount ruler.
I think it is time to abandon all these primordial issues and face what is important, and what will benefit the people. That is the essence of being the head. Many people like the glamour of office and the privileges that go with it. You can not talk about the privileges without the stake that goes with it; but people don’t like to talk about the stake.
As I said, I have not seen the details of the law but that is my position on it.
As a royal father, former Senator and former Governor, what is your reaction to the statement of Gov. Seyi Makinde about a single term in office for elected officers?
Well, something led to that. I think his argument was very clear, that it is better to spend six years or whatever it is agreed to as a single term because after you are elected, you will spend some times to settle down and that could take a year and by the end of the second year, you will be getting ready making efforts for your second term; so, If it is a single term, that would make whoever is occupying that position to concentrate once you know that you are not coming back. It is not bad. But I don’t know if that will be acceptable to Nigerians.
What is your reaction to the endorsements and decamping going on all over the country believed to be for President Tinubu’s second term, which some people believe is too early with just two years in office?
To be honest with you, i don’t believe in jumping to the party in power. For instance, when we left PDP we did not run to ACN. We knew that we have the follower-ship and that we are very solid on ground and loved by the people to win elections; as such, we decided to go to Accord Party, which was not known at all and we used the party to win elections.
I don’t subscribe to people jumping from one party to the other, especially, to the party in power. Well, some of them have reasons for doing that and is either they are running away from EFCC or they want to win election or for survival.
Untill we become transparent and do the right things, that is when we would know that running to the party in power is not an amnesty to escape wrong doings, which calls for transparency and accountability. This is not a new thing in Nigeria. When people do wrong things while in government they think that going to the party in power would make them become a saint. I think it is time not to look at things from that angle.
In regard to the endorsement issue, I think Bola is doing well. Two years is still far, let us hope that God will give him the courage to do better than what we have now. We also hope to have the government that will take good care of the people.
What do you have to say on the condition of living of the people?
Well, there is no doubt, the present reform is telling on the people and at the same time we should understand that some of what we are going through were caused by corruption. The rate people steal money is very alarming. I listened to the statement of the President of NLC Joe Ajaero the other time; honestly, i pitied Nigerian workers. With the present situation in Nigeria, what can N70,000 do for a person with wife and children.The generality of the people are not comfortable. Honestly, some people are asking questions. May be, we are yet to adjust to what government wanted us to readjust to.
We are still in the half time of the present government. It is like playing football, a team that is down can still come round to win the game. Let us believe that they have spent the half time to understand what they met on ground. Now that they have spent two years let us hope things will be better.
For the 2027 governorship election the people of Oke Ogun are saying it should be their turn to govern the state and that Ibadan people have dominated the position for too long. What do you think?
How many Oke Ogun people have presented themselves for the governorship. How many have scaled through the primaries of their political parties. None of them. They just talk without making a move. Even if you put yourself for nomination in one party, and you failed to get the ticket, why cant you go to another political party to contest. No body will come to your house to pick you, you have to make a move. Like I said, Democracy is a game of numbers and the decision of the majority. Everybody will have a say and the majority would have their way.
As far as the people of Ibadan are concerned, we are not saying that the governorship at all cost must be an Ibadan person.
Ibadan has been a capital since the Old Western Region. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and even Chief Bola Ige were not Ibadan men, they governed here, and Ibadan developed under them.
As such, whoever is the governor will have to live in Ibadan, which is the capital, so what is our concern. I don’t like people using sentiments for things that are straightforward. When I was the governor, my intention was that the governorship should be rotated . For me I don’t have any objection to people of Oke Ogun becoming governor in Oyo State.
If they are serious, they must be able to sell themselves to the people. Let us face reality, no one gets power on a platter of Gold. It takes a lot to get power. Again let me confess to you the strength of Ibadan is their unity. Not so many town are living in unity as Ibadan.
If people of Oke Ogun want power they have to work very hard for it for them to get the support from other places. Ibadan people are very accommodating and we have grown beyond this primordial sentiments.
Anybody that wants to be governor, must be the person that people want and people will not come to your house to pick you. You must work and sell yourself to the people, for them to accept you. I still repeat, i don’t have any objection against Oke Ogun person becoming the governor of Oyo State.
At any rate, by the time we have Ibadan State all the issue of one area dominating the other would be over.
Ibadan is big enough to have its own state. Both in population and size, Ibadan is bigger than many states in Nigeria.
