Sen. Daniel Clamour For Unity, Says A New State From Old Ijebu Province Is Long Overdue.
...As Committee is set up to work on terms of reference.
By Charles Segun Adegbite
Former governor of Ogun State, now representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Gbenga Daniel on Friday clamoured for unity among Remo and Ijebu people to make the creation of a State from the defunct Ijebu Province possible.
Daniel, an engineer by profession who is reengineering the carving out of a new state out of Ogun, insisted that having the new State from the Old Ijebu Province, comprising of Remo and Ijebu divisions, might not be a tea party, but it is long overdue and doable.
From the speech he delivered from the 8-Pages booklet he used at the Stakeholders Meeting on the Creation of the proposed State, Senator Daniel noted that "creating a state out of the Ijebu Province could have happened 28years ago, but for various factors we lost that opportunity."
The meeting was organized by the Remo Traditional Council, inside the palace of Akarigbo of Remoland, in Sagamu, on Friday,
READ THIS:State Creation: Akarigbo urges Senator Daniel to be fair to Remo and Ijebu, Calls For Unity To Achieve Statehood.
The Senator said that the people of Remo and Ijebu must therefore seize the current opportunity to galvanise, forge a common front, avoid any distractions and divisive tendencies that could hinder the fruition of the dream.
Otunba Daniel made it known that he's a bridge between Remo and Ijebu people because his father was from Remo and his mother from Ijebu.
"I am also very proud of my Remo root as the Arole of Remoland," he said assuringly.
The maverick politician noted that he had the option of staying away to dodge the unnecessary crisis trailing the desire to create a new state from old Ijebu Province but he would rather, like late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, courageously pursued his conviction that the creation of the new state will enhance and accelerate the socio-economic development of Ogun East Senatorial District.
He said "Our late Sage, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo had his own fair share of experience while at the crossroads of choosing between what he considered right and doing nothing.
"The path of honour he chose was to follow his convictions without minding the mundane sentiments and criticisms.
"Pa Awolowo, we were told, thought the people of Ikenne drinking from Uren River was unhealthy and he decided to bring pipe borne water to the community but the people, we gathered, refused to drink the tap water because some people tried to exploit their ignorance to say there were too many chemicals in the water."
He said that the free education policy of Chief Awolowo was also misconstrued to be plans to take away the children from helping their parents on the farms.
READ THIS: 2023: Vote for only those who can lead well, Daniel urges electorate
Daniel said that decades later, "The policy has proven to be the most futuristic development policy ever embarked upon by any political leader or administration, not only in Nigeria, but arguably in the whole of Africa, if not in the entire world having given the people of the South-West the competitive edge in civilization that we have today".
The Senator added that the government of President Bola Tinubu has also been faced with lots of criticism for taking bold and courageous moves that are pivotal to revamping the economy and put the country in a better shape.
Daniel noted that as someone whose father is from Remoland and mother from Ijebuland, he remains a bridge builder towards ensuring that a new State is created from the old Ijebu Province for the shared prosperity of all.
Meanwhile, a committee has been set up to work on terms of reference towards making the creation of the proposed state possible before the meeting ended.
In a communique read by the Baamofin of Remoland, Barrister Bayo Onafuwa, the stakeholders including the traditional rulers from both Remo and Ijebu divisions agreed for the composition of seven-man committee from each of the two divisions.
Onafuwa said that these committees are to work with their respective paramount rulers to fine tune the discussion on the state creation.
He said that "Their terms of reference are:
1. To determine the name of the new state to be created from the old Ijebu Province.
2. To determine the location of the capital and the viability.
3. Distribution of the State ministries across the State.
4. The local government structures
5. The new committee must be set up within one week after this stakeholders meeting.
6. The Committee must submit their report within the next one month after its inauguration.
The communique was drafted after most of the participants in attendance have expressed their willingness for the creation of the State, subject to the agreement between the two divisions over the terms of reference mentioned in the communique.
The Stakeholders Meeting hosted by the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, HRM Oba (Dr.) Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, in Sagamu, was convened by this royal father as a follow-up to the previous Stakeholders Meeting held in Ijebu Ode by the Awujale of Ijebuland, HRM Oba (Dr) Sikiru Adetona in December 2024 on the proposed State.
It was to create room for fair hearings between the two parties and balancing of the stakeholders meeting.
Among the critical stakeholders and dignitaries in attendance included monarchs and members of the Remo Traditional Council, Ijebu Traditional Council, top politicians, High Chiefs and community leaders like:
The Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo who represented the Awujale of Ijebuland, Elepe of Epe Sagamu, Oba Adewale Osiberu, Alaperu of Iperu Remo, Ewusi of Makun Sagamu, Odemo of Isara Remo, and many other esteemed Obas.
The Asiwaju of Remoland, Asiwaju Solomon kayode Onafowokan, Otunba Tunji Lawal Solarin , ADRON Group CEO, Aare Adetola Emmanuel-King, Executive members of The Collectives, Executive members of RemoGDF, Bamofin of Remoland, Akarigbo's Chief of staff, Executive members of Sagamu Youth and Remo Youth Associations, business tycoons, and other critical stakeholders.
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