Ifelodun Omo Igboho, an umbrella body for all socio-cultural societies, associations, clubs of Igboho extraction both home and abroad has thrown weight behind the Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan.
The body said they’re are behind and in support of the Deputy Governor’s move from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
They made this known when they paid a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor on Friday, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Members of the body who paid the visit were Mr Badmus Imran Oloyoyo, National President Ifelodun Omo Igboho; Mr Sekoni Jimoh, Vice President Ifelodun Omo Igboho; Balogun Suarau O., General secretary of Ifelodun Omo Igboho; Mr Oyewole Simeon, Treasurer Ifelodun Omo; Mr Adebunmi Abdulrasaq Omo Ayawo, Former Vice President Ifelodun Omo Igboho; Deacon Adepoju Solomon, Chairman, Ifelodun Jakuta And Prince Oyewole Imran – Chairman, Ifelodun Obaago.
While speaking, the chairman, Mr Badmus Imran Oloyoyo said the purpose of the visit was to tell the Deputy Governor that they are behind him and in support of his decanpment to the APC.
He said they are ready to follow him to wherever he’s going.
His words: “We are here to tell our Deputy Governor of Oyo state, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan that we are following him to wherever he’s going. If he looks back, he will see us that we are following him. That’s the aim and objective of our coming here.
“There’s no any other thing for all people in Igboho and Indigenes than to follow our Baba to where’s going.
“He’s our father and also our son in Igboho. We must not underate or underscore him because he’s our own.
“We heard that he has joined another political party, which is the All Progressives Congress, APC. As sons and kinsmen, we are here to show our love and support that we are behind him and in support of his political move and we will follow him. That’s why we came here.”
He said contrary to what some people were saying that Igboho people are not behind the Deputy Governor, the body is in support of his political move.
He said the position he holds is above all other positions. Hence, whatever he says is above whatever any group or body said earlier or will say.
He urged all sons and daughters of Igboho to support their son and father so that he can lead the town to the promise land.
“There are different kinds of people on the surface of the earth. We can’t all sleep and face our heads in the same direction. If some people are saying something different from what we said here, we don’t know the kind of position those ones hold in the community. But the position we are holding as the head and representatives of sons and daughters of Igboho land is above whatever positions they are holding. And we are saying categorically that we are following the Deputy Governor of Oyo state to wherever he’s going too.
“I want to urge all sons and daughters of Igboho to support and follow him to wherever he’s going.” he concluded.
While responding, the Deputy Governor, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan thanked Ifelodun Omo Igboho and promised to continue to be a good ambassador of the town.
Olaniyan said the visit and pledge of loyalty have put the speculations and rumours that he’s not relevant at home to an end.
He urged all sons and daughters of Igboho to continue to be good ambassadors of the town.
His words: “Well, generally Igboho people are very objective, that’s part of the problem some of us have, we say it as it’s.
“Some people somewhere want people to believe that the Deputy Governor is irrelevant even in his hometown. These people are the core body of Igboho. We call them Ifelodun Omo Igboho home and abroad, that’s the chairman, the vice chairman, the secretary and treasurer and leaders of other areas are here to pledge their loyalty and supports. I asked them if they see anything wrong in me dumping PDP for APC, which you have heard from them. They said that even if it’s not APC, it’s wherever I go they said they will follow me because they know the impact I have brought to them.
“I’m not somebody who doesn’t have value and impact at home. Even the impact I have in my town is bigger than myself. So nobody can just within two minutes or three minutes say Olaniyan isn’t not relevant at home. I know God has made me relevant in my town and nobody elsewhere can just come and rubbish me. It’s a matter of time.
“My goodwill message to sons and daughters of Igboho is that we should continue to be good ambassador of the town. If I’m not a good ambassador of the town, as at now the news and cries will be so much but we have a policy which is ‘we don’t loose our heads when others are loosing theirs’.”
