Why I appointed Obas’ children into Oyo cabinet – Ajimobi

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, at the week-end, claimed full responsibility for the appointment of the children of some traditional rulers as commissioners in the State, saying that none of their fathers solicited for their appointment.

Rather, he said that he picked them out of his own volition, based on their individual competence, qualification and pedigree which qualified them for their appointment.

The Governor made the clarification while receiving traditional rulers from different zones of the State, led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the week-end.

He said that children of the traditional rulers were appointed not because of their family backgrounds but because they merited the appointment based on their individual track records, adding that he thoroughly perused their credentials before making up his mind to bring them on board.

“I am aware of what some people have been saying about the appointment of the children of some traditional rulers as commissioners. The question is: who among them was not qualified for the appointment?”

“Besides, I want to state here that I appointed them by myself. None of their fathers contacted me or requested appointment for any of the commissioners. I perused their papers thoroughly and I discovered that they all had their track records. They all did very well and we are proud of them.”

“Let me also state that the appointment was to show our respect to the traditional rulers, support for the traditional institution and to recognize the contributions of their respective families to the development of the State,’’ he stated.

Governor Ajimobi expressed profound gratitude to the Alaafin and other traditional rulers for the visit, saying that it would spur him into continuing with the good works he had been doing since his assumption of office.

“What you have done today is so encouraging. Our traditional rulers are our fathers. If Alaafin could lead other eminent royal fathers to thank us and appreciate our efforts at transforming Oyo State, what else do we need?

“What you have done is a demonstration of our love and support for our administration. It also goes to show that the people of Oyo State are with us and are very pleased with what we are doing. No leader can emerge except by the will of God and we want to thank you immensely for being with us since the beginning of our administration,’’ he said.

The Governor reiterated his determination to transform the State and make it better than he met it, adding “we are the pacesetter; we are determined to bring the pacesetting status back. We want to use the opportunity that we have to make Oyo one of the best states in Nigeria’’.

The Alaafin had earlier said that the visit was to felicitate with the Governor on the giant stride he had been making in the development of the State.

He also commended Governor Ajimobi’s sense of judgment in the choice of members of his new cabinet, stressing that he (Ajimobi) was only following the footsteps of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his style of governance.

Oba Adeyemi also commended the governor’s “reverence and exemplary deference’’ to the institution of traditional rulership, assuring him that the present crop of traditional rulers in the State would not disappoint him.

“We shall strive to maintain the dignity of our revered office and serve as a veritable adjunct of pragmatic governance in Oyo State,’’ the monarch said.