SARATU ADUKE KONIBAJE IS THE ONLY RECOGNISED IYALOJA-GENERAL OF OYO STATE

A strong voice, due process crusader and champion of justice and transparency in handling the issue of Iyaloja-General of Oyo State under the banner of Group of Market Leaders in the State, Alhaji Kamorudeen Adegbayi has warned people of shaddy character parading as stakeholders to desist from blackmail Ibadanland over the raging controversy on Iyaloja General of the state.

Adegbayi, an indegene of saki in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State said those trying to pitch Ibadan against other zones of the state need to thread softly, embrace the truth and reality of the moment.

According to the market leader, “nobody, I repeat no one is blackmailing Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Dauda Makanjuola Akinola (D-Damak) over his perceived preference for Alhaja Nurudeen Folashade Abeo but what we are saying is that justice should be served in the matter of who truly is the choice of market women and traders across clusters.

Alhaji Adegbayi stated further that “the excuse of those championing the cause of Folashade Abeo Nurudeen is shallow and cannot hold any water.

“Bringing late Alaafin of Oyo into this matter by saying he installed Folashade Abeo as Iyaloja is the height of disrespect for the stool of Alaafin because the court had set aside a similar case where the then Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji made YK Abass the Babaloja-General of the State.

“In the said Judgment delivered by Justice K. B. Olawoyin of Oyo State High Court, filed by the aggrieved section of our group, the court nullified the process that produced Alhaji Y.K Abass and warned him from parading himself as the Babaloja-General of the state.

“It was after this judgement that the peace loving Governor Seyi Makinde called for a truce and due process which eventually produced YK Abass as Babaloja against Alhaji Sunmaila Jimoh.

“And it was the same scenario that also made the state government to also direct stakeholders in the Iyaloja matters in the state to follow due process and not resort to palace(s) of Kings to elect market leaders. 

This due process ultimately produced Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje, who polled seven votes to emerge as Iyaloja-General as against Folashade Abeo Nurudeen who garnered only two votes.

“Since there was no Ibadan Agenda in the previous installations of Iyaloja in the state, one wonders why any right thinking person would now turn around to say, because Alhaja Saratu Aduke is an Ibadan woman, they are playing Ibadan agenda. 

People like us are not Ibadan indigenes but on justice and due process we stand, for posterity sake.

“This is not about Saratu Aduke being an Ibadan person but purely on justice and due process that had in attendance representatives of the Oyo State Government from Justice Ministry, Commerce, Trade and Investment when the election took place.

“Those of us outside Ibadan are privy to the meeting held last week at Ibadan house, which had Aare Musulumi, the CCII leaders and stakeholders in the markets in attendance and the truth of the whole matter were laid bare with Aare Musulumi and other eminent leaders nodding in unison and exclaiming they were just hearing the reality of how Saratu Aduke emerged, for the first time.

“So why is the same Aare Musulumi working for someone who scored 2 against another who polled seven votes, Adegbayi queried further.