Barely two weeks after traders in Oyo State eulogized the Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde for amicably resolving the crisis rocking the leadership of markets in the State, an Adviser on Market Liaison to the Governor, Mrs Odunayo Danjuma has been fingered in a fresh controversy over the authentic Babaloja and Iyaloja in the State.
The Governor was few days ago commended for ensuring peaceful resolution of the leadership crisis amongst the traders.
Both Alhaji Yinusa Abass (YK Abass) and Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje were thereafter officially recognized Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General respectively.
But this week, at a function held at the House of Chiefs, State Secretariat, Ibadan, Danjuma was severally quoted as recognizing both Alhaji S.A. Jimoh and Princess Folashade Abeo as Babaloja and Iyaloja of the State, in contravention of the recent agreement reached amongst the stakeholders in the State.
A press statement signed by Alhaji Gbadebowale Aruna on Friday in Ibadan said, ‘This Governor Seyi Makinde’s Adviser on Trade matters, Mrs Odunayo Danjuma is overreaching herself and going against his boss decision on the leaders of market men and women in the State.’
Aruna said, ‘Danjuma, three days ago recognized SA Jimoh and Folashade Abeo as Babaloja and Iyaloja of the State. This is utterly against the Governor’s recent decision recognizing Alhaji YK Abass and Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje as Babaloja-General and Iyaloja-General of the State respectively.
‘The Governor, had based on court’s decision, constituted stakeholders to look into the matter which has festered for too long and at the end of the rigorous review and several meetings, both YK Abass and Saratu Konibaje were returned as authentic Babaloja and Iyaloja for the State.
‘It is now crystal clear that that decision didn’t go down well with a supposed Governor’s Adviser, Danjuma who is now in cahoot with another Commissioner in the Governor’s cabinet, Chief Bayo Lawal saying ‘we no go gree with Governor Makinde’s decision and position?’
‘The question is: Is Danjuma more powerful than the Commissioner and the Governor combined? In particular, is an Adviser powerful than the Governor who appointed her?
‘Is this a sign of weakness on the part of the Governor or indifference to what could draw back the hands of progress of this administration in matters that have to do with the peace in our markets?
‘Is Danjuma now dictating to the Governor on what he should do or not do? This volte-face coming about two weeks after the Governor resolved the crisis in the markets is nothing but a calculated attempt to set the traders against the Governor and Engr Seyi Makinde must watch this banana peel.
‘Danjuma saying the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III appointed Princess Abeo was the height of hypocrisy which the Governor must guide against as efforts are on now, to make the Oyomesis (Alaafin’s chiefs and kingmakers) to portray Governor in bad light,’ Aruna warned further.
It would be recalled that few months ago, traders in the State frowned on the way the state Commissioner for Trader and Investments, Chief Bayo Lawal has been persistently misinforming and misleading Governor Seyi Makinde for his personal and selfish interest.
Speaking at the press conference organised in Ibadan, the state capital by the zonal leaders who represented the Congress of Babalojas and Iyalojas in Oyo State, Chief Layi Olawoyin described Lawal’s action on the crisis rocking traders’ body in the state as a planned conspiracy to set the governor against his admirers and present him as ingrate to the source he leveraged in to become the governor in 2019.
According to Olawoyin, “We have exhausted available patience and exploited all possible avenues to avoid making utterances that can set our people against Governor Makinde, his administration and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), unfortunately, Lawal’s desperate and very unrepentant towards turning our people against the governor.
‘It is equally unfortunate that traders in the state have not positively felt the impact of Chief (Mrs) Odunayo Danjuma, the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Market Liason, who is known to be a well experienced Comrade and leader of the National Association of Nigeria Traders in the Southwest and believed to have the capacity to guide and advise the Governor on the right path but chose otherwise.’
