From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Oyo government has denied that the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I and Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdul-Ganiy Adekunle, were prevented from entering the remodelled Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Ibadan during its unveiling on Wednesday by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The government made the clarification following media reports that went viral that the monarchs were barred from entering the stadium by security agents. Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, in a statement in Ibadan said the government held the royal fathers in high esteem and would not prevent them from attending the event, to which they had been duly invited.
Adisa said the inability of the monarchs to gain access into the stadium was because of the huge crowd that obstructed the movement of the monarchs’ convoys to the designated VVIP drop off zone, which was the easiest channel to their reserved seats.
“What happened was that security operatives advised that drivers of the revered monarchs make their way through another gate, since their convoys were unable to access the VVIP drop off zone from the gate they entered through. Baba Alaafin and Olubadan are not of my age, you cannot expect them to withstand such rigour and that is why they turned back and went home. People should learn to draw a line between politics and good governance; the project is not for Seyi Makinde but the whole of Oyo State to be proud of, we should rather appreciate the governor for doing what many others have failed to do overtime.” He said other monarchs who were inside the VVIP box, including the Olugbon of Ile Igbon, Aseyin of Iseyin, the Okere of Saki and Olu of Igboora, were well recognised. “This was an evidence that the government places huge premium of respect on the stools of our forebears as occupied by the Kabiyesis.”
Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Adekunle corroborated Adisa in a statement.
“I would not know why somebody would say I was turned back by security men, I attended the event and was ushered in, although the entrance was rough due to mammoth crowd of miscreants that wanted to force their ways in and the way they were resisted by the police and other security agencies.”
