OKE OGUN: THE BEST AS CAPITAL FOR THE PROPOSED NEW OYO STATE.
Following the Senate public hearing held in Lagos earlier this month in respect to the state creation, the Senate has in their Friday 11th July plenary proposed the creaction of 12 new states with 2 in each geo-political zone. This development had Ibadan and Ijebu States proposed from the present Oyo and Ogun states respectively. And in all fairness to the Senate, they have done a great job that will enable easy passage of the bill, having conspicuously considered the landmass of some of the shortchanged states in the last creation.
By that arrangement, Ibadan is going with Ibarapa, leaving ÒkèÒgùn, Oyo and Ogbomoso in the new Oyo State. The siting of new Oyo State Capital should ordinarily not be a topic of debate and should ACTUALLY NOT. By every standard, ÒkèÒgùn is naturally positioned as the most suitable location for the capital of the new Oyo State. Factors like landmass, Population, natural resources, centralization, huge infrastructure, Economy, Tourist sites, Food Security, and presence of Research Centers and Higher Institutions of Learning are outstanding qualifications for ÒkèÒgùn to be sited as capital.
Beyond all sentiments, ÒkèÒgùn represents about 47.57% of the total landmass of the present Oyo State; it will represent more than 65% of the proposed new Oyo state. And by numbers of Local Government Area, ÒkèÒgùn has 10 LGAs which is the largest amongst the rest of it's co- proposed journeyers; Ogbomoso with 5 LGAs and Oyo with 4 LGAs. For a fact! ÒkèÒgùn with its 13,537km2 area is 2 to 4 times bigger than Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ekiti and Lagos States. So, if it can not stand as a state for now, being a capital would be fair.
Talking about natural resources deposits, no other region other than ÒkèÒgùn in either of the present Oyo State or the proposed new Oyo State (with the exit of Ibadan and Ibarapa) that has an inch of the natural resources and precious stones the nature has blessed ÒkèÒgùn with; amongst which are gold, marble, kaolin, granite, iron-ore, tantalite, talc, beryl etc. They are all available in commercial quantities in ÒkèÒgùn.
Going by Centralization: ÒkèÒgùn is so central and naturally positioned such that one can easily connect from anywhere within and outside the state. There are good road networks suitable to navigate to state capital from Ogun, Kwara, the proposed Ibadan state and even beyond.
On infrastructure, the Ikere Gorge Dam in Iseyin is a huge source of Power/water Generation and distribution to the state and its neighbors. And apart from power and water security, this will attract investors and shall in no meagre measure boost the economy of the state. Need we also mention that the construction of the road that leads to Ikere Dam has commenced courtesy of Governor Seyi Makinde's administration and the long abandoned Power plant has also recently been approved for revamping by the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commence soon.
Iyake hanging lake in ÒkèÒgùn is a great site to behold for tourists. Colorado has the 2nd hanging lake in the world and it's boosting it's economy through same by way of tourism. The Federal Government will benefit hugely in this resource and the new state will also not suffer courtesy of this alone.
For Economy, virtually each town in ÒkèÒgùn has outstanding art that boosts economic activities. Iseyin is known for the great art of Aso Oke rated as best in the world; Ipapo for soap making, Shaki for quality Pot production and other towns for one art or the other. Aso Oke International Market in Iseyin is also a great one to lure investors to the new proposed state and shall be a major source of Economy booster.
ÒkèÒgùn being the food basket of Oyo State will do better in terms of Food Security upon attaining the State Capital status. The rich soil of the land coupled with the existence of Ikere dam will help farmers to engage in farming activities all year round produce.
A capital city should be one with serene environment with facilities that does not only make people comfortable but that will also add value to people; such is ÒkèÒgùn with library of International standard (Raji Oke-Esa Library) and Ebedi Residency for Literary works sitting comfortably in the heart of ÒkèÒgùn.
Aside other factors mentioned above, OkeOgun hosts a Federal University, a State University, a State Polytechnic, 2 private Polytechnics and a College of health Sciences. All these are lovely factors to be considered, as the new capital will not start from the scratch for those important requirements.
Finally, the National Assembly has gone this far, the completion of the process will determine what they shall be remembered for after now. It's only expected they are remembered for good, by placing the capital where it best suits. We can all ruminate on the words of Edmund Burke who said , "There is but one law for all, namely that law which governs all law, the law of our Creator, the law of humanity, justice, equity - the law of nature and of nations". The justice and equity here can only be NEW OYO STATE with ÒKÈÒGÙN as CAPITAL.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Babajide Oniyo, MNIQS, RQS,
President, Council of Iseyin Youths Organizations, CIYO.
Cc:
Aseyin of Iseyin Adeyeri III
Òkèrè of Sakí Ọba Khalid Olabisi
Okeho
Oba Saliu Azeez
From Alepata's Palace, Igboho.
Nigerian Senate
The Senate President - Nigeria
House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Senator Buhari AbdulFatai Ph.D
Alhaji Abayomi Oshine Oyedeji
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
@highlight
OKE OGUN: THE BEST AS CAPITAL FOR THE PROPOSED NEW OYO STATE.
Following the Senate public hearing held in Lagos earlier this month in respect to the state creation, the Senate has in their Friday 11th July plenary proposed the creaction of 12 new states with 2 in each geo-political zone. This development had Ibadan and Ijebu States proposed from the present Oyo and Ogun states respectively. And in all fairness to the Senate, they have done a great job that will enable easy passage of the bill, having conspicuously considered the landmass of some of the shortchanged states in the last creation.
By that arrangement, Ibadan is going with Ibarapa, leaving ÒkèÒgùn, Oyo and Ogbomoso in the new Oyo State. The siting of new Oyo State Capital should ordinarily not be a topic of debate and should ACTUALLY NOT. By every standard, ÒkèÒgùn is naturally positioned as the most suitable location for the capital of the new Oyo State. Factors like landmass, Population, natural resources, centralization, huge infrastructure, Economy, Tourist sites, Food Security, and presence of Research Centers and Higher Institutions of Learning are outstanding qualifications for ÒkèÒgùn to be sited as capital.
Beyond all sentiments, ÒkèÒgùn represents about 47.57% of the total landmass of the present Oyo State; it will represent more than 65% of the proposed new Oyo state. And by numbers of Local Government Area, ÒkèÒgùn has 10 LGAs which is the largest amongst the rest of it's co- proposed journeyers; Ogbomoso with 5 LGAs and Oyo with 4 LGAs. For a fact! ÒkèÒgùn with its 13,537km2 area is 2 to 4 times bigger than Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ekiti and Lagos States. So, if it can not stand as a state for now, being a capital would be fair.
Talking about natural resources deposits, no other region other than ÒkèÒgùn in either of the present Oyo State or the proposed new Oyo State (with the exit of Ibadan and Ibarapa) that has an inch of the natural resources and precious stones the nature has blessed ÒkèÒgùn with; amongst which are gold, marble, kaolin, granite, iron-ore, tantalite, talc, beryl etc. They are all available in commercial quantities in ÒkèÒgùn.
Going by Centralization: ÒkèÒgùn is so central and naturally positioned such that one can easily connect from anywhere within and outside the state. There are good road networks suitable to navigate to state capital from Ogun, Kwara, the proposed Ibadan state and even beyond.
On infrastructure, the Ikere Gorge Dam in Iseyin is a huge source of Power/water Generation and distribution to the state and its neighbors. And apart from power and water security, this will attract investors and shall in no meagre measure boost the economy of the state. Need we also mention that the construction of the road that leads to Ikere Dam has commenced courtesy of Governor Seyi Makinde's administration and the long abandoned Power plant has also recently been approved for revamping by the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commence soon.
Iyake hanging lake in ÒkèÒgùn is a great site to behold for tourists. Colorado has the 2nd hanging lake in the world and it's boosting it's economy through same by way of tourism. The Federal Government will benefit hugely in this resource and the new state will also not suffer courtesy of this alone.
For Economy, virtually each town in ÒkèÒgùn has outstanding art that boosts economic activities. Iseyin is known for the great art of Aso Oke rated as best in the world; Ipapo for soap making, Shaki for quality Pot production and other towns for one art or the other. Aso Oke International Market in Iseyin is also a great one to lure investors to the new proposed state and shall be a major source of Economy booster.
ÒkèÒgùn being the food basket of Oyo State will do better in terms of Food Security upon attaining the State Capital status. The rich soil of the land coupled with the existence of Ikere dam will help farmers to engage in farming activities all year round produce.
A capital city should be one with serene environment with facilities that does not only make people comfortable but that will also add value to people; such is ÒkèÒgùn with library of International standard (Raji Oke-Esa Library) and Ebedi Residency for Literary works sitting comfortably in the heart of ÒkèÒgùn.
Aside other factors mentioned above, OkeOgun hosts a Federal University, a State University, a State Polytechnic, 2 private Polytechnics and a College of health Sciences. All these are lovely factors to be considered, as the new capital will not start from the scratch for those important requirements.
Finally, the National Assembly has gone this far, the completion of the process will determine what they shall be remembered for after now. It's only expected they are remembered for good, by placing the capital where it best suits. We can all ruminate on the words of Edmund Burke who said , "There is but one law for all, namely that law which governs all law, the law of our Creator, the law of humanity, justice, equity - the law of nature and of nations". The justice and equity here can only be NEW OYO STATE with ÒKÈÒGÙN as CAPITAL.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Babajide Oniyo, MNIQS, RQS,
President, Council of Iseyin Youths Organizations, CIYO.
Cc:
Aseyin of Iseyin Adeyeri III
Òkèrè of Sakí Ọba Khalid Olabisi
Okeho
Oba Saliu Azeez
From Alepata's Palace, Igboho.
Nigerian Senate
The Senate President - Nigeria
House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Senator Buhari AbdulFatai Ph.D
Alhaji Abayomi Oshine Oyedeji
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
@highlight
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