No be small matter o! Oyo State don reach 50 years, but two big traditional rulers, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Olaoye Ghandi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, no show for di grand event wey Governor Seyi Makinde hold for Ibadan. Wetin happen? Family members of former governors, religious leaders, and politicians show face, but na wetin carry dem no dey there, na di palava wey dey ground.
Dis year, Oyo State dey celebrate how e come dey since February 3, 1976, when dem create am from di Western Region. As di celebration don start since January 21, 2026, plenty programs dey on ground, wey include religious service, cultural exhibition, awards night, and one public lecture wey dem title, “Consolidating The Legacy, Navigating The Present And Reimagining The Future.” Na Saheed Fijabi, former House of Representatives member, na im be di chairman for dis planning committee.
As dem dey celebrate, people dey wonder why dem no see Alaafin and Soun. Make we no forget say Governor Makinde don change some things lately. He don make di chairmanship of Oyo Council of Obas rotational, wey mean say e go dey share among dem three monarchs: Alaafin, Soun, and Olubadan. This one don cause gbege, as Alaafin deny say e no gree for any meeting wey agree dis arrangement.
This event na di first one since all dis wahala start, and e still bring more questions wey people wan ask. Our reporter try reach di spokesmen for di Alaafin and Soun, Bode Durojaye and Peter Olaleye, but dem phone no dey connect. Clarity dey needed, but tension dey thick for di atmosphere.
During di event, Governor Makinde still manage cut di anniversary cake, sharply talk how im dey committed to building strong economy wey go fit create jobs and attract investments. Him also talk about di legacy wey former Governor Bola Ige leave behind, like di free textbooks wey help many students for di state.
Dem setup digital tribute platform wey collect stories of citizens wey don face challenges but still dey push forward. Makinde get stories wey fit make person tear up, like one resident wey run business wey dey employ eight young people. Dis kind stories dey show di kind resilience and hope wey dey inside Oyo.
As di celebration dey hot, we hear di Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, dey call people to remember di past leaders wey gree pave di way for di state. Him talk about di impact of political leaders from di Third Republic up to di present. Na people like Chief Kolapo Adewuyi Ishola and Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, dem don show wetin true leadership suppose be.
At di end of di day, di absence of di Alaafin and Soun fit show say dem dey resolve some issues wey don pile up for di traditional institutions. But Makinde don talk say him administration go maintain inclusive governance and also push di state towards greater future. As dem carry dey celebrate di next 50 years, na so we go dey look how dem go fit achieve all dis promises.
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