CREATING OKE-OGUN STATE OUT OF THE PRESENT OYO STATE: THE URGENT NEED FOR POLITICAL WAVE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Movement For Creation Of Oke-Ogun State 1.0: INTRODUCTION: There is no much controversy over the genesis and reason for establishment of local government councils in Nigeria. In fact, there is a general agreement among scholars and practisioners that local govt council are established as the smallest unit of organising social-economic groups and political representation. They are created among other things to bring government to the people in order to improve their living standard and political emancipation. Now Local government is no longer a purely state affair to be manipulated by the state govt. This position was confirmed by the provision of the 1976 and 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They gave local government substantial functions and made provisions for the financial resources to establish a stable institution at the grassroot. The local government reforms in Nigeria was introduced in 1976 by the Obasanjo military regime. At that time, the local government structures in the then Oyo state are as follows: Ibadan 3 local govt or 30 per cent of the total, Oke-ogun 4 LGs or fourty per cent of the total, Ogbomoso 1 LGs or ten per cent of the total, Oyo 1 LG or ten per cent of the total, Ibarapa 1 LG or ten per cent of the total. In 1982, the civilian government of late chief Bola Ige proposed the creation of additional local govts for Ibadan, but a group of self-appointed Ibadan elites stood up vehemently against this move, claiming that non-indigenes of Ibadan were the only people who will benefit from such exercise and as such the proposal was permanently supressed by these self-appointed Ibadan elites. As at 27th of May 2002 when the new local government in Oyo state was increased, the structures of the local govt in the state are as follows: Ibadan 11 local govts or thirty-five per cent of total, OKE-OGUN: 10 LGs or thirty-two per cent of total, Ogbomos 5 LGs or fourteen per cent of total, Oyo 4 LGs or eleven per cent of total, Ibarapa 3 LGs or nine per cent of total. 2.0: OKE-OGUN AS THE FOOD BASKET OF PRESENT OYO STATE. There is no quantum of doubt on the fact that Oke-Ogun is the food basket of the present Oyo State. This is undisputedly owned to the fact that ever since the creation of of Oyo State in Feb 3 1976, Oke-Ogun region has taken on the farming regalia of responsibility. Taking a dimensional look that has historical nexus, Oke-ogun can be said to be the main trading centre as a result of its strategic location, accessibility and proximity to Benin Republic, and the ECOWAS sub-region. The commercial ventures of the people are mainly service. There are numerous daily-weekly day and night markets within Oke-ogun region with some of them operating 24hrs daily. From the time immemorable, Oke-Ogun region is known for Agriculture which is the pivotal need for human survival. Just as Yoruba would say: bi ebi ba kuro ninu ise, ise bu se. With this afore mentioned axiom, Agriculture which Oke-Ogun is known for is unanimously agreed to be the moving vehicle towards the pursuance of development and progress. Hence, the sensitive location vis-a-vis vintage political position occupied by Oke-Ogun makes it the headquarter of OYSADEP, as products like yam, cassava, gari, mango, soya beans, maize, graoundnut seeds, guinea corn and pure natural honey, etc are being produced. Correspondingly, it is noteworthy to say here that the afore stated farming produces are only brought and bought on whosale rate by farm merchants in market, and widely transported to cities like Ibadan, Lagos, Osun, Ilorin and other towns across the nation and its border where they can be purchased in large quantity and best quality by the waiting retailers. 3:0: OKE-OGUN LEGENDARY ARTIFACTS, TOURIST CENTRES, AND CULTURAL AFFINITIES AND HERITAGE Photo:Ikere gorge dam Oke-ogun has a very rich cultural heritage as demonstrated by ubiquitous historical artifacts especially in palaces of Obas and Chiefs in the region. There are important tourist places known nationally and internationally which include: -Ikere gorge dam in Iseyin, which has the capacity of 690 Million cubic metre of water and 47sqkm of surface area. It can also generate more than 3,750 Megawatt of electricity, which is more than what the country presently generates. -Hanging lake of Ado Awaye -The old Oyo national park, Sepeteri -Old Oyo games and reserves - Legendary Asabari hill, Saki -Royal forest, Igboho -Agbele rock formation, Igbeti -Oke Maria pilgrimage center, Tede -Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther tomb, Osoogun -Amule mountain, Saki -Manor House of Iseyin- on of the three guest houses of the Governor General during the colonial era. - The motherly Odo Ogba rivulet that bisects Iseyin city into two equal parts -Famous Aso-Oke(ofi) in Iseyin -Metal-made pots and iron products -etc. photo: Oke-ogun as food basket With the afore stated artifacts, centres of attraction and legendary legacies of Oke-Ogun region, Oke-Ogun can unarguably said to be the tourist destination which substantial revenue can be generated if properly given appropriate attention and well developed. 4.0: NATIONAL CONFAB RECOMMENDATION ON THE CREATION OF NEW MORE 19 STATES: THE PUPORTED CREATION OF NEW OYO STATE AS AS A PLIGHFUL STAMPEDE ON OKE-OGUN REGION photo: the Nigerian reality of National Confab Just of recent, precisely two weeks, there was a bone of contention generated among Nigerian intellectuals and political evolutionists, especially from the womb of Oke-ogun by the non-judicious, garbled non-sensical balderdalsh and intellectually empty submission of the National Conference led by ex Justice Kutigi. The proposed 19 states (Oke-Ogun exclusive) have been highly condemned and befouled by many who, in their intellectual opinion and political stance and calculation tagged as injustice, a political stampede upon the general strugle for just and pure democracy, coupled with collective right that is blatantly expressed in the 1999 constitution, to be generally enjoyed by all Nigerians without fear of favour, ethnical sympahty and political point of differences. Oke-ogun indigenes, having critically evaluated this submisson as a display of ethnical bigotry, take it upon ourselves to reject this share of injustice and absolute marginalization positioned upon the bosom of our region. Although the council of Obas in Oke-Ogun and concerned citizens under the aiges of Oke-Ogun development Council (ODC) have expressed their bile and faulted the new National Confab development as de-humanisation of the highest order, there is still a need to hold the bull by its horn; there is an urgent need for us as children of Oke-Ogun to rekindle political wave of consciousness and social cognizance to stand vehemently against this obnoxious conclusional recommendation for the creation of new Oyo State which without atom of doubt will subject Oke-Ogun as region of intellectually active and progressive minds to another chronic plight and curse. At this crucial point in time, we have agreed to have one voice against the NEW OYO STATE. OKE-OGUN SAYS NO TO NEW OYO STATE; FAREWELL TO NEW OYO STATE,GIVE US OKE-OGUN STATE! 4.1: THE NEED FOR CREATION OF OKE-OGUN STATE Photo:map of present Oyo State showing the map of Oke-Ogun region With the present epiphany of what may be our eternal sorrow, due to the looming signal of injustice borne out of NC resolution about creation of new Oyo state, we, the keenly concerned and aggrieved children of Oke-Ogun have gathered all the needs for our beloved region to stand independently as a STATE. Geographically, and in term of land mass, Oke-Ogun region has 13,537sq km of land accumulation which is about 60% per cent of the total landmark of the present Oyo state, with over 1.5 million of people. But due to the egocentric political interest of some self-acclaimed political architects and so called revolutionaries, Oke-Ogun, with all these massive quantity both physical and historic, was deliminated into 10 local government of seven (7) state constituencies, and three (3) federal constituencies of senatorial district, even though it is larger in land mass than the combination of the remained 23 local govt. area in the present Oyo State, and by 50% greater than the whole Bayelsa State, Gombe state, Nasarawa, to mention but few. In corrobaration to all previously said about Oke-Ogun are social courtesy, peaceful atmosphere for qualitative education, social infrastructural amenities, good road network and most importantly societal resources that are enough to make Oke-Ogun stand as STATE in Nigeria. 5.0: CONCLUSION In conclusion, having taken an indepth examination and evaluation, critical analysis and submission about Oke-Ogun artifacts and tourist centres, legendary values and cultural legacies, coupled with inestimable geographical aesthatics and human relation, there is a need for us to be given Oke-Ogun state. May the sun rise again as Oke-Ogun both home and in diaspora reject the new Oyo State; and bid farewell to present Oyo state. GIVE US OKE-OGUN STATE!!!
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 22:16:46 +0000
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