Adedokun Waliyu 
Traditional rulers from Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo State with management team of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State after an interactive session at the institution’s office of the rector recently.
Traditional rulers in the Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo State have pledged their support for the take-off of academic activities of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State.
The monarchs, numbering twelve, expressed this on Wednesday at an interactive session between the traditional council and the management held at the office of the rector, Dr Taofeek Abdul-Hameed, in the Iresaapa temporary site of the institution.
The traditional rulers visited the management team to intimate the polytechnic of their support as stakeholders and traditional leaders of the host communities.
According to the Federal Government’s policy establishing the institution, its permanent site is in Ayede town in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area which, according to Dr Abdul-Hameed, cannot be altered.
The permanent chairman of the traditional rulers’ council in the local government area, who is also the Alajaawa of Ajaawa, Oba Thompson Oyetunji, assured the management of total support towards a smooth take-off of the academic activities.
Emphasizing the resoluteness of the monarchs, Oba Oyetunji, while speaking to journalists shortly after the session, said he had approached the state government on facilities that would engender admission of pioneer students.
Earlier at the meeting, Oba Oyetunji stated, “I bring you royal greetings of all traditional council members, traditional rulers and the entire good people of Ogo- Oluwa local government area.
“We are using this medium to assure the principal officers of our support and cooperation in all areas towards successful take-off and smooth running of the day-to-day administration of the new institution in the peaceful and serene atmosphere devoid of any security threat to lives and property because our people are peace-loving and development-oriented.
“Therefore, do not hesitate to invite our attention to any issue that may be giving you problems during the course of your daily activities especially those that can be handled by the traditional institutions of the host community.
At the meeting, the rector discarded the misconception that Ayede, which is the permanent site of the institution, has been shortchanged.
He said, “On behalf of the Governing Council chairman, Professor Dakas C.J. Dakas (SAN), members of the Council, the management team and the entire staff of Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, I welcome you, our royal fathers.
“It is a truism that Ayede remains the permanent site of the institution and nothing, whatsoever, can tamper it. It is a government policy. When you go to Abuja, all the documents bear the name Ayede.
“If you go to the permanent site now, roads are being constructed. All projects from the 2022 and 2023 budgets will be concentrated on the permanent site. Kabiesi, most of what you see at the temporary site here are donations from people, including this administrative building. In fact, we are working towards ensuring that we move to the permanent site before the expected time.”
While pleading with the management of the Polytechnic to consider the indigenes of the host communities, Oba Oyetunji requested, “Permit me, at this juncture, to appeal to the principal officers and the Governing Council to consider the indigenes of the host communities whenever staff recruitment is carried out.
“There are many educated, trusted, and capable young men and women who are ready to work with the new institution and traditional institutions should be given privileges of what will develop their domains.
“Similarly, as the host communities, we plead with the authorities of the institution to extend catchment/quota to the local government area indigenes in terms of student admission whenever the school resumes in earnest for academic activities as this will improve the educational growth of our youths and equally keep them away from any act of criminality.”
Speaking with journalists shortly after the session, Oba Oyetunji said, “People should stop peddling rumours about tampering with the permanent site of the institution. I have personally been sensitising the people on the need to discard the rumours. That’s just it.”
Other traditional rulers in attendance were Olopete of Opete, Oba Samuel Bamigboye; Olosupa of Osupa-Orile, Oba Rasak Aleshinloye; Onipontela of Pontela, Oba Akinola Akinwale; Olubere of Ibere, Oba Simeon Akanji; Onilagbedu of Lagbedu, Oba I.A. Oyelowo (JP); Elesaade of Esaade, Oba Kilani Ojeduntan; Olokoo of Okoo, Oladele Ogunsesan; Olotamokun of Otamokun, Oba (Dn) Samson Moronfoye; Oluwoate of Iwo Ate, Oba Isiaka Ogunmola; Ologuro of Oguro Orile, Oba Joshua Beyioku (JP).
