HRH Oba Alani Matanmi 12 years milestone as driver of peace
Sodiq Adelaku
A decade and two years of multitudinous achievements in Ijoko can be credited to His Royal Highness, Oba Abdulfatai Alani Matanmi, Otutubiosu 1, the Onijoko of Ijoko, Ota whose main objective on the throne was how to improve on the region’s very disturbing state of unity.
Oba Abdulfatai Alani Matanmi, who has a royal blood from the Ijemo/Isoloshi ruling family in Ota has been a hero for both family and community as he resisted every attempt by the Owus to capture and claim Ijoko, Ota, Aworiland since the past one decade.
Ijoko Ota is a town in Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State with its population swelling up daily due to the mass movement of the people from Lagos State to the town. The town is about 30 kilometres from Lagos.
Different innovations to ensure peace, security in Ijoko have been adopted and put in place by the royal father to eradicate chaos, disagreement, crises and promote peace in the region.
It is however gathered that Oba Matanmi of Ijokoland can be described as a driver of peace who has worked assiduously to maintain tranquility. Oba Matanmi clocks 12 years today on the throne.
Meanwhile, congratulatory and goodwill messages from individuals, organisations, community leaders have been paying tributes to the royal father for the giant strides he has made in promoting peace, unity, progress and development in Ijoko.
He is described as dogged fighter whose love for the interest of the people is unquenchable. With this selfless act, the monarch is a brave person in Awori land.
In an interview with Sodiq Adelakun of Nigerian NewsDirect, the Chairman, Ogun West Senatorial Community Development Committee, Prince Deji Dosunmu Olashehu described the Oba’s support on security as second to none.
Some of his achievements include: creation of Police station, provision of vehicles to the So-safe Corps, construction of Magistrate Court among many others.
According to him, “He singlehandedly handled the creation of police station in the town. He supported them with vehicles. He supported the So-safe Corps with vehicles and the Magistrate Court is under construction among others.”
In another interview, the Ijoko Area Community Development Chairman, Barrister K.O. Odeyemi described the king as a gentleman, reasonable and ready to go with his subjects.
He believes that there is no rancour that can deter development in Ijoko community.
In his words, “ There are no challenges, we are moving on our normal businesses, we are happy with every person here, there is no rancour that affects Ijoko community, he is always ready to assist us.
“We are law abiding people, we have our community systems and as far as I am concerned, we worked together to develop the community.”
He however congratulated him on his 12 years anniversary on the throne.
In a separate interview, a community leader, Chief Alade Salau described the Oba as a wonderful person, accommodating and generous to the entire Ijoko who worked remarkably to make things work out.
“The town is facing the challenge of the court activities, on which he has intensified his effort.
The King has been using his wisdom to make sure peace is supreme, we have had our difficult times in terms of peace, now the entire place is peaceful, no rancour, no bickering, everybody is moving about his/her business and we are happy about that,” he said.
Natives and dwellers of Ijoko have eulogised and congratulated the Onijoko of Ijoko on his 12 years anniversary since he ascended the throne and prayed the monarch lives long on the throne of his forefathers in order to be able to influence more developments to Ijoko land.
