In our Ibadan home grown politics (possibly elsewhere), the common system of bringing down every rising political or public star with promising potentials is ethnic jingoism and blackmail. I am also guilty.
Recognizing the fact that we real Ibadan, our progenitors, migrated from somewhere to the present Ibadanland. Our warlords on arrival, drove away, with brutal forces, the earlier occupants of the land. The Ijayes, the Ejiokus, the Egbedas, the Ile-Igbons and many others.
Thank God for the lives of the late Governor of Oyo state, His Excellency, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who began the elevation of Baales to lesser Obas. And also his successor, His Excellency, Egnr Seyi Makinde, the finisher and perfector of the Ibadan Obaship Elevation process. Therefore, if ones father or forefather has/had a paternal link to Ibadan, wherever, he/she lives, he/she is Ibadan.
My only reservation is for those who claimed Ibadan because their mothers are/were Ibadan. Warriors, are in majority, male gender. You may argue with your computers.
THE ISSUE
With the above prelude, let’s venture into the main issue.
I was at the forefront of those amplifying the name “JAGBA” and tagging same to my leader and brother, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin TKF, omo olojoibi eni. But later, I began to see that, the political order in this part of Nigeria, is “JAGBA”: we are all “JAGBAS”. Present experience has taught that “JAGBA” is better than the ridiculous “EMILOKAN” ( Entitlement).
In fact, to stop Folarin in 2003 Oyo Central Senatorial Election, the tarbrushers, not me, persisted in their claims that FOLARIN is Ijebu ( FOLARIN PRINTERS). Thank God, they failed. Teslim omo Baale Baba NEPA, left and right is Ibadan.
Once upon a time, I was at the Oyo state Governor’s Office when I sighted Mogaji Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe for the first time. Someone whispered into my ears that “here comes the next governor after Ajimobi”.
I was furious. How could Ajimobi, an Ibadan original install an Isobo man on we Oyos. I took to my facebook page to ‘dabo’ Tegbe and vent my anger. A Technocrat that he is, he promptly invited me through my good brother, Oloye Babatunde Ologburo Snr, to deny the Isobo appellation and tutor me on his claims to Ibadan. After my visit to Labo Area of Ibadan South East and somewhere in Ona-Ara lga where there remains till date “Apata Tegbe”, I retracted my story. To God be the glory, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe is now a Mogaji of Ibadanland and my loyal friend.
Una don start again o.
“Tommy is not Ibadan and therefore has no right to lead the PMS in Oyo state. Baba Ashipa, Tommy is an Ijesha born”. My inbox message apps, sms, messenger, Whatsapp and others are now filled with complaints.
One thing I noticed in all these hullabaloo was that no one complained about Tommy administrative competency and capability to lead the Oyo state PMS.
Truly I championed Ìbàdànlókàn within Ibadan political arena. Aside politics, elective offices especially, I have no interest in who becomes what. Nonetheless, without being prompted, I ventured into investigating Alhaji Abdulwasiu Tomiwa aka Tommy, the Oyo state Park Management System Chairman. Here are my findings.
1). As every Ibadan indigene, Alhaji Tommy great great grand father (past fourth generation), an Ifa Priest, migrated from an area called “Ba’gbo” (forgive my wrong pronunciation) at Oyo Alaafin and settled at the present Ejioku area of Lagelu lga.
2). The Tommy great grand father ( third generation) who was born at Ejioku in Ibadan, migrated from Ejioku to Ilesha, settled at a place called “Ilase Oyo”. The great grand father got married to an Ijesha wife. He retuned to Ejioku with his wife to give birth to the grand father of Tommy.
3). The great grand father later returned to Ilesha. But not pleased with the spurious economy of Ilase-Oyo at Ilesha, the grand father of Tommy returned to Ejioku to rejoin his family in Ibadan. The rest is history:. Suffice it to state that the present Oba Elejioku confirmed this long historicity. Alhaji Abdulwasiu Tomiwa is Ibadan left, right and centre. He even buried the remains of his grand father and father at Mosfala area of Ibadan. I stand to be controverted.
This “dabo”, “igbe” and “lèmáan” politics are too obvious a characteristic of Ibadan politics and public life. Although, we Ibadan claim the governorship of the state all the time, yet, we Ibadan aren’t satisfied with our stand. Forgetting that, other Oyos have a constitutional claim to the first citizenship of the state.
When Tommy was the Secretary of the PMS at inception, no one bothered to know his indigeneity till he rose to the PMS chairmanship office through perseverance, competency, capability and loyalty. ‘Taa lo ko bayin’.
Isn’t it obvious that Alhaji Tommy is a true Ambassador of Peace. Since the beginning of his reign as Chairman, when last did you hear anything like the untimely deaths of Taiye Beyioku or Rahmon murder at Iwo road or the unaccounted waste of lives along Ibadan – Ibarapa route.
What of driving against traffic with hooligans cane bearers harassing commuters and traffickers.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state said, “let there be peace in our motor parks and there is”. Past transporters union chairmen, from Lam to Ishaq, I am bold to declare, led graveyard peace.
I can’t end this piece without mentioning the great Otunba Seye Famijuro who ensured that peace, true camaraderie, returned to Oyo state PMS. Otunba Seye single handedly corrected the faux-pas in the establishment of the PMS.
In his wisdom, Otunba brought the many warring factions of the old NURTW together with love and peace. This man of ingenuity should be appreciated and applauded by all and sundry.
Tommy is the most capable hand to lead the youngly established Oyo state PMS to eldorado. The tarbrushers, who thrive in crisis, should stop their falsity. I pray I wont be forced to vest the wrath of Shango of my priestdom on them.
Ashipa writes from Temidire Constituency, Ibadan.