Date: 2017-01-26

Senatorial chairman of Kwara North Senatorial district, Alhaji Isiaka Oniwa, has chided a one-time former chairman of Board of College of Education, Oro, Elder Wole Oke and a former commissioner in the state, Alhaji Raheem Adisa among others, over alleged attempt to provoke discontent between Moro community and the emirate.

Both Oke and Adisa, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Moro were accused by Oniwa of deliberately spreading discontent and falsehood between Moro and Ilorin community because of pecuniary interests.

He further described them as enemies of the emirate over their alleged position that Ilorin people have the tendency of enslaving others and treat Moro indigenes as slaves.

Oniwa said Moro and its indigenes recognised and continue to hold Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari and other indigenes of Ilorin in high esteem for their contribution to the peace and development of the council. He described the alleged attempt to demystify the traditional ruler's influence in Moro as unfortunate.

Oniwa spoke with National Pilot shortly after a meeting of some stakeholders in the local government held in his senatorial office, Adangba area, Ilorin on Tuesday.

When contacted on the allegation, Adisa told National Pilot to "go ahead and publish the story" adding that "I know how to react when I see it" According to Oniwa, "we are much aware of our history and we know all the details about Jebba and other communities in Moro and those that first settled there. Nobody can pull the wool over our eyes about this history "This unnecessary agitation and plan to destroy and disrespect the Emir of Ilorin and the contribution of prominent figures in Ilorin to Moro will not be acceptable by us.

"It is now Wole Oke and unfortunately Raheem Adisa and others know that we are being enslaved after they have benefitted immensely from the same Ilorin and being appointed commissioner and board chairman among others through late Baba Saraki and continued by the son, Bukola Saraki. These are people who have no electoral value and cannot win any election alone as attested to during last election. "They are about six in number and are the enemies of the Emirate crying wolf where there is none instead of them to search themselves.

I will advise Wole Oke, Isiaka Jimoh, UB Muhammed, Raheem Adisa, Isa Malete among others to reflect and stop this journey to perdition that will do them no good and they should stop going to the press with lies and distortions. "This is not the first time they have been saying rubbish.

We are using this opportunity to tell Moro indigenes that we accept Emir of Ilorin as our emir and Bukola Saraki as our leader. Palace spokesman and Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Soliu Woru Muhammed had replied them.

"The motive for doing this is because of lack of position and yet they lack electoral value. They have been always envious of Ilorin but cannot cut ties with Ilorin because we have come a long way. Wole Oke referred to himself as the Jagunmola of Shao and Bashorun of Jebba, which traditional ruler gave him that title?

Their view does not represent the views and position of the peoples of Moro. Oke's grudge is that Shao has been in existence before Ilorin but how can you deny the position of Ilorin as a leading town in Kwara, Oniwa added.