Ibadan Mogajis pay homeage to Olubadan designate, pledges support

By Ogundele Olanrewaju

The Mogaji’s in Ibadanland on Tuesday paid homage to the new Olubadan designate, Oba Lekan Balogun, pledging their support and loyalty towards the success of the new monarch.

Speaking on behalf of the Mogaji’s while paying homage to the new Olubadan, the President, Association of Mogaji’s in Ibadanland, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori congratulated Balogun for his emergence as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, saying that new positive era in the history of Ibadanland has just begins.

He stated that this is the first time Ibadanland will be so lucky to have an experienced PhD holder, a Distinguished Senator, an Accomplished Corporate Person whos personality has distinguished him as a international figure in all the continents of the world.

“Kabiyesi, it is our sincere hope that Ibadanland will benefit from your Excellent wisdom and World of experience to sustain further progress and development of the City and make it the ideal Capital of Africa”.

The Mogaji’s appealed to the incoming monarch to always informed and involved them in accessment of candidate for the positions of Mogajis and Baales in order to prevent miscreants and people of questionable characters from breaking into Ibadan traditional royal system.

They maintained that the era of cash and carry for chieftaincy seeking individuals in Ibadanland has gone.

They pledged their support to the new Olubadan towards ensuring that all traditional chieftaincy request will be granted on merit and not by financial inducement, adding that honorary titles can be granted at the discretion of the new monarch and the Council.

Mogaji Ariori also seeks financial autonomy for the palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland through creation of Royal Investment Fund, saying that the palace of the first class monarch must not lack all required financial needs.

The Mogajis urged stakeholders at all levels to create a working investment funding system, which is capable of solving all the financial needs of the monarch and the Palace.

Ariori maintained that financial automy for the Olubadan palace will go along way in solving financial embarrassement the palace has been subjected to by the Government or Chieftaincy seeking individuals.

They however requested for the expansion of Local Government Traditional Council for effective development at the Grassroot, saying membership of the traditional Council be increased to give room for more Mogajis to be members

“Several Local Government traditional council in Ibadanland were populated by the Baales only, without been jealous, this does not give proper equal distributions and it is seriously affecting security, social economy development at the grassroots”.