Fresh crisis hits Amosun’s Govt, as Commissioner resigns
A fresh crisis on Wednesday hit the outgoing Administration of the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, following the resignation of its Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Hon. Jide Ojuko.
Ojuko, in a resignation to the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, while pledging his loyalty to Amosun, disclosed he had to leave office due to a design by the Governor to install Obas on the ancestral land of Aworis in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government.
The crisis between the Aworis and Owus has been a long running one with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, an Owu himself, just as Amosun, being involved as Nigeria’s leader. The Owus are traditionally tenants of the Aworis in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government.
But in recent times, due to the increasing population of the Owus and the strategic offices occupied by some of its people, plans were made to have Obas by these tenants, the argument being that their ancestors had long paid the Aworis for the land on which they settled. The Aworis, however, have consistently opposed such moves, insisting that as tenants, the Owus cannot have the same traditional status the indigenes of the land have.
“Sir, by my background as a civil and public servant, my training is to be obedient and loyal to my boss, but your recent directive on the issue of obaship in some areas in Ota State Constituency runs against my conscience, the wish and yearnings of my people that I represent,” Ojuko wrote, in his resignation letter, adding that, “By my appointment, I represent my people from Awori stock, my Local Government and the entire state. After service, I will have no choice than to go back home and settle down with my family and my people with total peace of mind.”
Efforts by our correspondent to get a reaction from the state government proved abortive as at the time of writing this.
