Date: 2014-12-03

The Alapa of Omido, Irepodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, Oba John Adegboyega Adeyemi Ilufemiloye, Amuyunbole ll, was recently upgraded third class traditional ruler. The monarch, who ascended the throne on August 4, 2007, speaks on the state and issues of national relevance. Excerpts:

HOW has it been especially in terms of the development of your domain?

The Oro-Omido-Arandun Road is a testimony. It used to take us three to four hours. The state government rehabilitated the road the second year I ascended the throne.

In our days, we went to school outside the community, because there was no secondary school. With the help of God and prominent people in the community, we were able to establish a secondary school. The Kwara State Government helped to build four classrooms with desks and chairs. The administrative block where we have library, computer room, staff room and office for the two principals, was built by the community. We are presently working on the football field. Also, there are steps to have either a police or a civil defence post. Government has indeed backed us up. What is left now is for staff to be posted there.

We used to fetch water from the stream. Today, there are boreholes all over. We have a cottage hospital established by the Federal Government. Perhaps, the greatest development is the position the Alapa of Omido, upgraded to a third-class, of which we are very grateful to the government. We thank God for the position of Omido today.

Who are the descendants of Eku-Apa, what is the origin of Alapa?

Alapa descendants are all over the old Western Region including Lagos. I continued from where the late Alapa, Oba Matthew Gbadeyanka Odundun Arojojoye, stopped, by looking for our kith and kin.

Omido and Agbonda are two of the descendants of Alapa. We have others in Igosun, Erin-Ile, Ijara-isin, Apado, Omu-Aran, Arandun, Offa and Ijagbo, all in Kwara State. In Osun State, we have them in Iba, Ara, Iragbiji, Ilobu and in Ile-Ife where we actually took off to all these places.  We have them in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, where the Alapa is a first class oba. The same thing in Badagry West Local Government Area, Lagos State, where Oba Oyekan Ajoseposi lll, Alapa of Egun Awori Kingdom is also a first class king. It is worthy to mention that the Akesan of Ora Igbomina, a second class Oba in Osun State, is also an Alapa descendant. We have also discovered our descendants in Moro Local Government in Ilorin and they have all been here.

What was your reaction when the news got to you that you would be upgraded?

We are happy. There is nothing like Alapa of Omido before, it used to be Alapa of Eku-Apa, rotating between Omido and Agbonda. In May 2005, Alapa was upgraded to third class, but along the line there was separation that each of us should have our own king. This made the government to withdraw the recognition. Today, we thank God that we now have two third class kings in Eku-Apa.

We also thank Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Governments have come and gone but did not remember us. We can never forget him, we are grateful to God for making it possible.

I want to implore my people that there is no place like home. They should always remember their source wherever they may be. Wherever they are, their source is here in Omido, this is where they started from. I also want to beg them for one thing, they should let us love one another. There can be some mistakes and there are ways to solve them.

In the next five years, what is your vision for Omido?

I leave everything to God. We are looking at the future that Alapa should be a first class Oba. Alapa gave birth to Onigosun of Igosun, today Onigosun is in a higher grade, likewise the Akesin of Ora Igbomina.

Should traditional rulers be given constitutional roles?

Yes. In the 80s when there was no democracy, it was military rule then, traditional rulers were handling the affairs then. Democracy has taken over all those powers from the traditional rulers. We are closer to the people, we know what they want and their needs. I know what is happening in each compound. We should be assigned constitutional roles, because we are the owners of our communities.