Ondo Connects New Era
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To the glory of God Almighty, as one of the defunct Ondo Local Government Council Admin & GD Staff and organisers for preparation of the then Ondo State ‘Village Meeting’ initiated by the former Military Governor of Ondo State, Navy Captain Olabode Ibiyinka George (Now Rtd. Navy Commodore) to address the concerns of the people from the riverine and rural areas of the State during the ‘Better Life Programme’ for government infrastructural and developmental project efforts.
The mindset situation changed when Navy Captain Bode George (now Retd. Navy Commodore), openly told us during the Village Meeting at Bolorunduro Town in 1988 while answering questions from the citizens, that the defunct Ondo Local Government Council Area is classified as a small town which made us to lack behind in terms of government infrastructural and developmental projects when compare to other Local Government Areas within the State, because we are been represented by just only one Oba which made it very difficult situation for every Military Governor to favour us with more government projects.
It was at this stage that the Ondos drop the unprofitable supremacy of paramountcy for the sake of State and Federal Developmental Projects which eventually led to the five upgraded Beaded Crown Traditional Rulers among the Oloja’s, such as Igunshin, Ilunla, Igbindo, Igbado and Udoko in Ondo Town with the Osemawe as Head of defunct Ondo Local Government Council Area (now Ondo West) Traditional Rulers. Thus pave the way for splitting the defunct Ondo Local Government Council into two by General (Now Retd.) Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Federal Military Government in honour of late HRM Oba Festus Adesanoye OSUNGBEDELOLA II in 1993.
If we are still under the Military Regime, the many roll calls of Oloja’s, Baales with other existing traditional rulers in the Ondo East Local Government Area could have been automatically upgraded to 1st and 2nd Class Crown Oba and subsequently made one of them as the Traditional Head.
We are no longer in the dark ancient days, the sanctity of paramountcy is no longer relevant, because it will continue to set us backwardness against the State or Federal Government infrastructural and developmental projects in both Ondo West Local Government Area and Ondo East Local Government Area respectively.
The importance of elevations and upgrades of the Baales, Oloja’s and other existing traditional rulers of sub towns will increase the statutory allocation fund for Local Government votes from the Federal Civilian Government with contracts for the creation and development of more social amenities, hospitals, schools, reconstruction of roads, companies, creation of jobs opportunities, governmental agencies and etc.
Therefore, so that the Ondo leaders and Ondo indigenes will not be working against itself out of ignorance, we must embrace change, otherwise change will change without us and we will continue to be the looser. We have been given the key to progress and development since 1988 by the then Military Governor of Ondo State, but we have refused to harken to this remarkable wisdom and wise counsel up till now.
Otunba Damilola Oladimeji
LLB (Hons) Law and Human Rights
For and on behalf of the Administrators
Ondo Connects New Era
