By ADEBAYO OLUWASEYI
Efforts to secure an automatic House of Representatives ticket for
Akeem Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo’s son and incumbent interim chairman of Atiba
Local Government, Oyo, are generating ripples across the acncient town.
The Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola, had reportedly, at a
public function recently, announced his son as the replacement for his estranged godson
and current member of the House of Representatives, Kamil Akinlabi, in the
coming general election.
The development has attracted more knocks than applause as
many indigenes appear averse to the monarch's perceived continued domination of the town’s
politics and economy.
The Secretary of a Youth-based civil society
organisation, Oyo Progressive Assembly (OYPA) Agboola Afees said: “The endorsement is okay and legitimate given that Alaafin
has only chosen to exercise his right as a Nigerian".
He, however, added the caveat that the
constituents may decide otherwise as they already have Adeyemi’s performance as local government chairman as basis
for determining whether to give him higher responsibility or not.
In a telephone interview, an All Progressives Congress (APC)
leader and chairman of the state's Local Government Service Commission, Lasisi
Ayankojo, described the endorsement as "empty and ineffective".
“APC is yet to have its congress which is coming up in April.
So, if anybody now sits somewhere and endorses anybody, biological son or godson,
it amounts to nothing. It is empty and ineffective. Our candidates will emerge
through due process. There will be primaries", he submitted.
In a similar vein, an Europe-based Oyo indigene and one of
the key personalities of a Pan-Oyo advocacy group, Oyo Global Forum, who
pleaded anonymity, faulted the Alaafin’s endorsement of his son for the seat,
saying, "as a king and father to all, Alaafin should desist from endorsing
politicians. His (Oba Adeyemi) previous endorsements have not done Oyo any
good."
At Akesan and Sabo markets of the town, traders who commented
on the issue, but would not want their names mentioned, expressed divided
opinions over the acclaimed impressive performance by Adeyemi as local
government chairman. Some were totally against the public endorsement made by
his monarch father.
“This is an action, which, to me, means no other son or
daughter of Oyo aspiring for same post can go to Baba (Alaafin) for his
blessing", said one of the traders at Akesan.
Meanwhile, Adeyemi has dismissed the insinuation that his
father was seeking to handpick and impose him on the people. He insisted that
his performance earned him the trust of the people, saying the constituents
were the ones demanding that he represents them at the National Assembly.
"I am very confident I will get the ticket and cruise to victory in 2015. I have performed at local government level. As a journalist,
do your investigation; come to Oyo town and interview people. In fact, with
respect to my performance, qualification and worthiness to represent Oyo, I am
ready to debate with anybody", he said.
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