After 13 years of yearning, the people of Fiditi town, Oyo State, on Monday got a new king to fill their vacant stool following the presentation of staff of office to Oba Oyelere Oyewole Sakirudeen as the Onifiditi of Fiditi by the Oyo State Government, amidst jubilation by his people at the Afijio Local Government Secretariat, Jobele in Oyo town.
Speaking during the installation and presentation of staff of office to Oba Sakirudeen, the Oyo State Governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde, described the process leading to the event as painstaking and relevant in legal, historical, archival because Fiditi customs and traditions were taken into consideration.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, the governor, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr Bashiru Olanrewaju, appreciated the importance of the critical role of a good ruler in the attainment of peace and prosperity, adding that “it is our determination to amicably resolve all disputes capable of inhibiting the state’s march from poverty to prosperity.”
He added that this is a confirmation that the Yorubas value leadership in every community aptly represented in the saying, “ilu kii wa, ki oma ni olori,” (meaning, a town cannot exist without a leader).
Governor Makinde urged the king to see his installation as a call to service, adding that “as the Oba of Fiditi town, you should appropriately consult with your brother Obas and other traditional rulers in Afijio to take an objective decision in approving appointments into the minor chieftaincies by those customarily and legally entitled to make such appointments. In a similar vein, your highness should try to understand the customary and statutory laws guiding your roles and be painstaking in embarking on activities that would complement the efforts of the present administration towards the development of Fiditi, Afijio Local Government and Oyo State in general.”
In his acceptance speech, Oba Sakirudeen appreciated Governor Makinde for giving the people of Fiditi exactly what they want and have been looking for over a decade, adding that this is a new era in Fiditi as all other things will follow.
“I appreciate the governor, every Fiditi descendant both home and in the diaspora for standing by me and I urge them all to please come home and develop our town. What is next for Fiditi is development; this is our first approach and because of the love that Fiditi descendants both at home and in the diaspora have been showing me since we started the struggle, I know that they are going to support me in developing Fiditi,” the new king stated.
