I have high regards for Alaafin, says Ajimobi
The governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has said that he and his government have great respect for the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and traditional institution in the state and would not disparage them in whatever way.
The governor made this known while addressing a group of protesters from Oyo Federal Constituency who stormed the Governor’s Office on Friday.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Olalekan Alli, Governor Ajimobi declared that his administration would not in any way support any act or utterances capable of desecrating the traditional institutions in the state.
The protesters, who are residents of Oyo town, had staged the peaceful demonstration against what they called an unpleasant statement credited to the Honourable Member representing Oyo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon Kamil Akinlabi, against the Alaafin of Oyo on a private radio station.
Governor Ajimobi said that his administration would not tolerate any form of action or statement that could disrupt the existing peace in the state.
“The said statement was not the handiwork of government; it was not our making and we are not involved in this. I want to make it clear that we will never support anybody insulting our elders,” the governor said.
Governor Ajimobi said he could vouch for the owner of the radio station in question as a man who has high regards for the Alaafin and who will not support any form of indecorous language against elders or any indigene of the state.
The governor appealed to the people of the state to continue to be law abiding and not insult anybody, stressing that the government would continue to detest any act of violence, brigandage or thuggery.
“We don’t want a disruption of the peace we have achieved because it is priceless and we want to sustain it. We want the people to protect our royal institution, government property, the image and by that very fact, the reputation of the state,” he said.
The leader of the protesters, Alhaji Mudashiru Usman, had enjoined the state government to intervene in the matter, with a view to protecting the interest of Yoruba Obas and to guard against any individual action that may disrupt the cordial relationship existing between the government and traditional rulers in the state.
Earlier, the protesters had stormed the said radio station with various placards bearing different inscriptions.