Mapo Hall: Ibadan indigenes oppose inauguration by Obasanjo

The embattled Ibadan politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, is set for another collision course with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, and members of the Olubadan-in-council over Thursday’s (today) inauguration of renovated Mapo Hall. The development came just as the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes kicked against the planned inauguration of Mapo Hall by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The renovation of the ancient hall, built over a century ago, was carried out by HUA Engineering Limited, a company in which Adedibu has a substantial interest.

The project was bankrolled by the 11 local governments in Ibadanland and the state government.

It was gathered that Adedibu was instrumental to the invitation of Obasanjo to Ibadan to inaugurate the edifice, which the state Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, had listed as one of his achievements.

Sources said that the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, was listed as the royal father of the day.

The Olubadan-in-council and key Ibadan leaders were said to have regarded the development as an affront on their monarch, whose forebears symbolised the Mapo hall.

Sources told our correspondent that the indigenes have made up their mind not to attend the ceremony.

Our correspondent learnt that the Olubadan had directed members of his council to distance themselves from the ceremony or risk being sanctioned.

To underscore this, a statement by the CCII on Wednesday had opposed the choice of Obasanjo for the inauguration.

The statement by the National Secretary of the CCII, Chief Gbade Isola, described the hall as the property of the 11 local government areas in Ibadanland, over which the Olubadan was the president.

Reacting, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, said the inauguration was beyond partisan politics, but should attract wider interest of all Yoruba sons and daughters.

He said, “We should not make the historical mistake of under-rating the universal importance of Mapo hall that was built almost a century ago and celebrating such an important edifice should attract wider interest that goes beyond partisanship.

4rum Punch Newspapers