Scores
of hunters marched the streets and roads in Abeokuta, the Ogun State
capital, in solidarity with new Oba-elect for Orile Ilawo community in
Odeda Local Government Area of the state, Alexander Olusegun MacGregor.
The
Canada returnee, who is a professor of Clinical Pharmacology, was
selected and nominated to ascend the Olu of Orile Ilawo stool by the
town's Warrant Chiefs appointed by the state government.
He
picked among the contestants for the traditional stool barely two weeks
ago at Elegunmefa, the exact location their ancestors resided when they
made the area a place of habitation.
Prof. MacGregor succeeds the town's pioneer monarch, Oba Adedapo Aina, who joined his ancestors many years ago.
The
solidary and 'Thank You' rally which took off at MacGregor Heritage
Foundation House in Abeokuta in Abeokuta North saw the Youths, hunters
in Orile-Ilawo, Alagbagba and its environs, chanting songs of
appreciation to the people and sectional monarchs for their laudable
roles in the emergence of the new monarch.
The elated hunters
pledged their loyalty and support for the new monarch. Others members of
the community - sons and daughters, also joined along the way to swell
up the rank of the happy procession as they marched to the Palaces of
Agura of Gbagura, Oba, the Olowu of Owu kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola,
the Osile of Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso before terminating it at
the palace of Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Michael
Adedotun Gbadebo, Okukeni IV.
The head, Orile Ilawo hunters,
Chief Idowu Tajudeen, told newsmen that they were happy over the
selection of MacGregor as their monarch.
Idowu recalled that in
the last five years, the Clinical Pharmacologist had uplifted many of
indigenes through empowerment programmes, provided borehole and solar
light facilities in their areas and granted scholarship to the indigent
to enhance their access to education.
He said the solidarity
walk was meant to thank the sectional monarchs for their support towards
the emergence of MacGregor and to also tell the Oba - elect that the
town's folks were solidly behind him.
It was earlier reported
that youths from Orile Ilawo, Alagbagba and its environs in hundreds had
also stormed the palace of the Oba-elect in solidarity with his
emergence as the new Olu of Orile Ilawo.
The enthusiastic youths
led by their leader, Fatai Balogun and Muyideen Omotosho, who are the
Olori Odo of Ilawo town and Alagbagba respectively, chanted "Kabiyesi o;
Kabiyesi o; Kabiyesi o" in praises of Macgregor and to demonstrate
acceptance of his personality and emergence.
The visiting youths
of the ancient Oke Ona Egba settlement boasting of 63 communities and
over 143 villages, were however, received by the Oba-elect, who
commended them for their support and show of love.
The youths
lamented that the community had been suffering for long because of the
Obaship interregnum, recalling that the community's lands that were part
of the collective patrimony of Ilawo descendants had been sold out even
to expatriates for self - driven motives.
They said those behind
the bazaar over community lands were cashing in on the absence of a
monarch, expressing the hope that with MacGregor's emergence now, he
would use his clout and pedigree to put a stop to it.
The youths
further alleged that the atrocities committed by those they described as
"living without conscience," would even go to the extent of using
charms and other voodoos to harm whichever youth that challenged their
actions, stressing that those unpatriotic actions were actually carried
out between the period when the immediate past traditional ruler of the
town, Oba Adedapo Aina transited.
Balogun, who disclosed that the
youths were already fed up with the situation and we're posed for
communal uprising, however, pleaded with MacGregor to assist them
correcting the injustices which he said almost chase some of them out of
existence.
The duo of Balogun and Omotosho further appealed to
the Oba-elect to assist them at rewriting the story of Orile Ilawo town
for better and future prosperity.
Responding to the youths'
lamentations, Oba-elect Macgregor solicited for more cooperation from
the youths towards ensuring that their plights are properly addressed in
manners that do not jeopardize the progress of Orile Ilawo town and all
the adjourning communities and villages.
Macgregor, who
emphasized that no community world over, can achieve any meaningful any
progress without empowering its youths for self sufficiency, promised
that he would not renege in his efforts at attracting meaningful
developmental projects to the town, which he explained that he has been
doing for the past 35 years in Canada and India among other developed
countries where he is still doing businesses.
Speaking against
the backdrop of community elders accused of selling family and other
township landed properties for personal aggrandizement in Ilawo town,
MacGregor emphasized that establishment of viable and enduring business
ventures remains the proven panacea for taking youths off criminal
activities and other social vices that are inimical to societal
developments.
Macgregor also emphasized that wealthy individual
in the Nigerian society, particularly in Ogun State will be securing
future peace of minds for themselves if they can see youths empowerment
as necessary investment in their respective areas.
While charging
them to abstain from any conspiracy that can jeopardize the progress of
Ilawo town, MacGregor, who admonished the agitated youths to be at
peace with everyone in the community, further solicited the cooperation
of the Ilawo youths towards ensuring that peace reign supreme in the
community.
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