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The recent endorsement of a member of the National Assembly, Senator Solomon Olamilekan, popularly known as Yayi by some Baales in Ogun West have been described as a debasement of traditional institution.
This was the submission of the Ogun State chairman New Nigeria People’s Party, Comrade Olaposi Oginni today in Abeokuta.
Comrade Oginni said against expectation, the act was a disappointment to the office they occupied.
He said, “It comes as a rude shock, the purported endorsement of Senator Olamilekan popularly know as Yayi by the Ogun West Baales.
“This shouldn’t be true because the baales and kabiyesis are representing traditional institutions that should be respected.
“But when these occupiers of these traditional stools have descended so low to put themselves in the murky water of politics.”
It would be recalled that the Lagos-based All Progressives Congress politician, Senator Solomon Olamilekan aka Yayi has expressed his intention to run for the Ogun West Senatorial position in 2023, despite spending 20 years as a lawmaker in Lagos.
After the declaration, the Yewa Baales, numbering about 300 reportedly endorsed Adeola’s move to contest for the Senate in Ogun West, thereby fueling serious crisis among stakeholders and opinion leaders in the area.
The Baales (traditional community leaders) from the five Local Government Areas of Ogun West Senatorial District, reportedly endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun’s re–election bid, while calling on Adeola to contest in order to represent Ogun West in 2023.
While responding, the NNPP chairman described the endorsement as a “show of shame that does not befit traditional rulers.”
Comrade Oginni noted that traditional rulers should be father to all irrespective of political affiliation.
He added that, “The NNPP, Ogun state chapter is hereby condemning in totality, the illegality and desperation of office of the traditional rulers.
“It is highly unfortunate that the baales that are supposed to be neutral and father to all are now coming out publicly to endorse an aspirant of a political party.
“To educate the baales, may be they don’t know, that in Nigeria today, we have a lot of constitutionally recognised political parties. How then can a traditional leader in a community come out stupidly and ignorantly to publicly support any aspirant where they supposed to be father to all.
“We want to use this as a sign of warning especially in Ogun West to all the traditional leaders to be courteous and stop all this rascality and abuse of their office.
“It is unacceptable to NNPP which I am the chairman, a major opposition parties in Ogun state, will not take it low on any of these people who are causing the lies.”
The NNPP Chairman further stressed that the Baales are allow to exercise their franchise by joining any political party of their choice and not endorsing a candidate of a political party.
He however, warned that the traditional rulers should desist from bias endorsement that may cause unrest in the local metropolitan areas.
“They should stop using their office, which is the traditional institution of Yorubaland to get a meal ticket from the deceptive politicians. They should stop dragging this institution into the mud.
“And we are calling on all security agencies; the DSS, Intelligence Unit of the Nigeria Police, to caution these baales and traditional rulers, that don’t know their roles.
“Any of this rascality and crossing of line by these traditional rulers may overhead the politics and start to cause anarchy and chaos in their domains.”
“We are pleading to peace loving and well meaning Ogun state people, especially in Ogun West to remain calm and to ensure that any of this Baales that try to cause trouble will be properly handed over to the law enforcement agent for proper action.”