Osogbo, Iragbiji agog as Oyetola receives baton from Aregbesola

ABC of his consolidation plan

It was a smooth transition in Osogbo yesterday as Governor Gboyega Oyetola took over its rein of government from Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Southwest Bureau Chief BISI OLADELE captures the thrills of the colourful ceremony.

Osogbo, the Osun State capital, was agog yesterday as Governor Gboyega Oyetola, mounted the saddle in the State in Pageantry. His birth place, Iragbiji, also came alive as his kith and kin devoted the day to celebrating their own who is the first indigene to become governor.

The expansive Osogbo Township Stadium, venue of the inauguration, was filled to capacity. Crowds of who-is-who in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftains in  the Southwest, traditional rulers, civil servants, market men and women, artisans, students, security personnel, corps members, itinerary drummers and ordinary folks  flocked the stadium to witness history.

Also present were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun and his Iragbiji counterpart, Oba Rasheed Olabomi who led other monarchs to the ceremony.

Oyetola takes over from Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the first governor to spend two terms in office since the creation of the state in 1991.

A former governor of the state and APC leader Chief Bisi Akande, was also at the event. He was in the entourage of APC Stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Donning a white agbada and a purple cap to match, Oyetola was ushered in at 11:28 am. He arrived with his wife. They were accompanied by the Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi and his wife Titilayo. On the entourage was also the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and Oyetola’s and Alabi’s children.

Tinubu arrived the stadium at 11:49 am to a rousing welcome by the crowd. He decked a grey agbada and a green cap to match. He sat beside his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who arrived earlier. Governors  Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo); Oluwarotimi (Ondo) Akeredolu; Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); Lagos Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos); Abdulahi Ganduje(Kano); and  Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) arrived in succession. Their Kastina counterpart Aminu Masari was represented by his commissioners.

President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha.

Oyetola and Alabi were to preserve, protect and defend the constitution.

Tinubu in his goodwill message,showered encomiums on Aregbesola for developing state during his tenure. He described the handing over to Oyetola  as ‘no mean achievement.’

The former Lagos State governor praised Aregbesolafor staying on the right path and walking the talk for the people’s benefit.

It is time to create jobs for our youths. We will upgrade our vocational technical institutions to make them more vibrant with the demands of a technology-driven, fast-paced world. We will in partnership with the private sector, establish light manufacturing industries in the major sectors of the economy to create at least 30,000 jobs.” He said.

He also pledged to run a people-friendly government “which focuses on growth, creation of jobs, social protection Timi, inclusive governance and sustainable upgrade in the standard of living of our people.”

Under Oyetola, start-ups will get financial support and incentives. The governor also promised to promote Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-driven businesses.

Ace Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde (aka KWAM 1) was on the band stand thrilling the crowd.

There were groups and associations including those of auto technicians, hair dressers, panel beaters, painters and tailors.

In Iragbiji, the town were in celebration of its own. The Aragbiji held a special reception for his colleagues in his palace.

Oyetola’s family entertained guests at St Peter’s Primary School, Iragbiji.

The palace was agog as a live musical band entertained the royalty, clerics and traditional chiefs.

The APC held a reception for members and supporters at Oke-Iragbiji High School while artisans and tradesmen held theirs at the NUD Primary School. Oyetola’s maternal family chose the Police Clinic as the venue of its special reception. They all wore ankara uniform for the ceremony.

In an exclusive interview with The Nation, Oba Olabomi said yesterday was remarkable in the history of the town.

He said: “I give glory to almighty God for today November 27 2018. Today marks a very huge and remarkable period in the history of Iragbiji. I mounted the seat of my forefathers on May  22, 2008, and since then there has been development – human capital development of immense magnitude. But this one is so special because for a prominent son of Iragbiji to be elected and to be sworn in today makes today very unique in my life and the life of this community.

“The emergence of Gboyega Otedola makes me very happy and the election made me very happy. And today, I am very happy because it is  a combination of successes that have been recorded over time since his emergence.

Read also: Tinubu hails Aregbesola

“I give glory to God almighty, it is a very huge success. My prayer is that Gboyega Oyetola will perform very creditably well and will make all of us proud. He would spend his first four years, he will record success, he will be re-elected as the governor of Osun. Indirectly, am saying that he will spend eight years and he will do wonders.

“People will marvel at the way I am always positive. I am an incurable positivist when it comes to Gboyega Oyetola and I’m sure that they will rule and lead successfully for solid eight years and by the time he will be  completing his two terms, he would have taken Osun almost near or at par with Lagos State in terms of resources.”

Oba Olabomi said his subjects were not celebrating Oyetola because of what they may benefit from him but for the honour his election has brought to Iragbiji

His words: “First, I know that Oyetola is not the governor of Iragbiji, he is the governor of the state.There is a  proverb  in Yoruba land that says “Iyi ju owo lo” which translates as honour is greater than wealth. It is the  honour that the people of Iragbiji feel happy about and not the wealth but to say that Iragbiji has produced the governor of the state. It’s a big plus for us and we are all happy.

At the ceremony were former Ogun State governor, Chief Segun Osoba; former Ekiti State governor Chief Niyi Adebayo; Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Mr Seye Oyeleye and Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd).

Traditional rulers include the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbsulRasheed Akanbi; Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Oyedotun; Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal; Oninisa of Inisa, Oba Joseph Fasikun; Oba Ile-Oluji, Dr Oluwole Adetimehin and his queen Tokunbo; Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye; Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin; Oniresi of Iresi, Oba Sikiru Ibiloye and Oloyere of Oyere, Oba Adeoye Adefarakan.  The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, was represented by five white cap chiefs.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Agboola Oshodi-Glover; Senator Mudasiru Hussein;  Odu’a conglomerate Chairman Sola Akinwumi; Christian and Muslim clerics, former Minister of Water Resources, Isola Awotorebo; Otunba Rotimi Obeisun; Chief Ayo Fasanmi and Senator Musliu Obanikoro.

Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salam; Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Deputy Speaker Wasiu Eshinlokun; Senator Olamilekan Adeola; Sen. Sola Adeyeye; Chief Kemi Nelson; former Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Adejare Bello; House of Representative member. James Faleke and Justice S. Adeoye were also there.