Foremost Ibadan group, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), has described as “an innocent oversight” the failure of the Federal Government to honour prominent indigenes of the Oyo State capital.
Alleging that there was a deliberate plot to marginalise Ibadan people, the group, in an address, on Sunday, by its President-General, Chief Adeyemi Soladoye, said it was high time an indigene was appointed the next Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan.
It also decried the failure by the Federal Government to honour prominent sons and daughters of Ibadan, alongside other leading personalities across the country, some of whom, national monuments were recently named after them.
The CCII, in the address, ‘General Appeal for Stoppage of Marginalization of Ibadan Indigenes on Ibadanland’, lamented the omission of names of Ibadan indigenes from the railway stations along the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor and the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor for the University of Ibadan.
On the naming of the railway stations, Soladoye said: “The coveted list of 10 eminent Yoruba indigenes are distributed as follows: Four from Lagos, five from Ijebu/Egba and one from Ogbomoso. Recall that the corridor under consideration is called Lagos-Ibadan Railway Corridor which ostensibly passes through Ogun State.
“We, in Ibadan, also noted the statement on justification of the honour that the deserving citizens have contributed to the progress and development of their respective communities and the nation.
“We, Ibadan indigenes, want to maintain that the omission of Ibadan indigenes from the list is an innocent oversight as it is inconceivable to conclude that Ibadan community covering 3,850 square 2Km of Nigeria’s landmass with 11 local government areas, population of over three million people and having served as the capital of the Yoruba nation since the colonial era would not have, at least, one of its own citizens that has contributed to the progress and development of its community and Nigeria at large.
“Most of the prominent names on the list served their communities and Nigeria at large through the platforms provided for them by Ibadan city. For avoidance of doubt, this press conference is not organised to register our objection to the honour done to any particular individual on the list but our call to the neglect of Ibadan people.
“We in Ibadan relish, with pride, the fact that Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola cut their political teeth and achieved their national status through our accommodating them on Ibadanland.
“Senator Bola Tinubu lived his early life in Ibadan. Raji Fashola is our highly cerebral and dutiful son-in-law. Professor Wole Soyinka would claim Ibadan as his second home and the beautiful wife of our indefatigable vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, was raised on Ibadan soil.
“To this extent, we are making it abundantly clear that this appeal is also not a veiled agitation of a hostile people who are determined to go up in arms against the Federal Government.
“To the discerning minds, a second look at the list provided by the Federal Government would reveal that most of the people from other corridors across Nigeria were restricted to their states or communities of origin, with the exception of the stations on Ibadan land.
“Furthermore, some of the Yoruba people so honoured already have universities, stadia, roads etc. named after them at the national and state levels. We wonder the need for this overkill to the detriment and neglect of the owners of the land.
“We believe that whatever qualified Chief Obafemi Awolowo or Chief Ladoke Akintola for honour on Ibadan soil would over qualify Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu and Chief Augustus Adisa Akinloye, the National Chairman, National Party of Nigeria (1979 -1983).
“What qualified Chief Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti would qualify High Chief Wuraola Esan, the late Iyalode of Ibadanland and first female Senator, Western Nigeria or Dr Onikepo Akande, CON.
“Whatever criteria that was used to honour Senator Tinubu and Chief Olusegun Osoba of Lagos and Ogun states, respectively, would qualify Dr Omololu Olunloyo or late Chief Kolapo Ishola or late Lam Adesina or Sen. Rashidi Ladoja – all former governors of Oyo State.
“The same criteria that qualified Chief Alex Ekwueme would speak for Chief Richard Akinjide. What qualified Mr Raji Fashola for a station on Lagos land would also qualify the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi for recognition on Ibadan soil.
“Ibadan has the likes of the late Air Vice Marshal Nureni Yussuff (retd.), Major General Samuel Adejumo (retd.), Brigadier-General Raji Alagbe Rasaki (retd.) former military governor of Ogun and Lagos states and Rear Admiral Isaac Areola (retd.), among other Ibadan indigenes, deserving of honour.
“With the above, we are convinced that the government of President Muhamadu Buhari will honour some of these prominent Ibadan indigenes with some of the stations along the rail corridor on Ibadan soil, if need be, by removing any of the already announced names or with other stations yet unnamed between Omi Adio and the terminal point at Olorisa Oko all on Ibadanland.”
He described the appointments of successive VCs of the University of Ibadan as another sore-point, adding: “UI established in 1948, sits on 2,550 acres of land, released to the institution for 999 years by our fathers with a “Thank You” handshake, £1.1s and a bottle of Schnapp.
“By this year, the University of Ibadan is 72-year-old and has produced 14 Nigerian vice-chancellors between 1960, but inexcusably, no Ibadanman has ever emerged as the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
“Out of the 14 serving and former Nigerian Vice-Chancellors of the University, including acting, 10 are of Yoruba descent – seven Ijesha, two Ijebu and one Offa. The other four, from Professor Kenneth Dike to Professor Tekena Tamuno, were from non-Yoruba part of Nigeria.
“In the days of only one Deputy Vice-Chancellor in the top management cadre of UI, Professor Olusola Akinyele (an Ibadan Professor of Mathematics) was to take over from Professor Ayo Banjo in 1991 but by sudden twist of military and political fiat, the opportunity eluded Ibadanland.
“Professor Akinyele’s frustration and disappointment reached such a depressing level that the erudite professor relocated overseas and never came back since then. In 1995, Professor Wole Akinboade of Veterinary Medicine, another Ibadan man contested and again, it was opportunity lost.
“Now, the tenure of the current amiable and friendly Vice-Chancellor of UI, Professor Idowu Olayinka, will expire in three months time. On the race for his suitable replacement are some 10 erudite professors out of whom are these four sons of Ibadanland.
“We appeal to all concerned to give favourable responses to our demands and to always remember to give the deserved priority of space and attention to Ibadanland and its people in view of our position of strategic importance in the scheme of things in Nigeria.”
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