Polls: Any politician that disrupts peace of Ifeland would be dealt with — Ooni of Ife
By Jeleel Olawale
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Wednesday called on Ife politicians to allow peace to reign in the forthcoming election, warning that “any politician that disrupts the peace of Ifeland would be dealt with according to the spirit of Ile-Ife.”
Ooni made the call while holding peace talks with politicians of Ile-Ife origin who in recent time have been engaging one another in pockets of violence.
He urged them to allow peace reign in the interest of the ancient town, saying there is no development in a state of anarchy.
Oba Adeyeye said all politicians should put Ile-Ife in their front burners irrespective of their political parties and see themselves as one indivisible family.
“Don’t see election as a ‘do or die’ affair because power is transient, power goes, power comes. Some people have held positions you are vying for, while some people would still hold the position in future.
“I want you contestants to warn your followers to eschew violence and tread softly. Any politician that disrupts the peace of Ifeland would be dealt with according to the spirit of Ile-Ife.
“Ile-Ife is greater than any politician in the land. Embrace yourselves and facilitate developmental projects into Ile-Ife either PDP (Peoples Democratic Party), APC (All Progressives Congress) or LP (Labour Party), see yourselves as one family. You are Ifes, don’t be enemy of yourselves. What should be paramount to you is peace and development of Ife,” Ooni said.
Ooni added, “As a peace ambassador, peace is my focus and development of Ile-Ife is my priority. Those who are causing political crisis should desist from it before I get angry with them. I have power over all of you, you are my subjects.
“I fear nobody but God Almighty. They abuse me of partisanship but all to no avail. I am not partisan, I will not lure one politician over you. Warn your supporters to stop crisis. You followers, immediately these politicians get into office, they will not remember you again. Don’t allow these politicians to use you. They will use and later dump you.
“Those who are destroying properties of Ile-Ife should be careful and stop this act of destruction of properties. I want to beg you to embrace peace and shun political crisis in the town. Let the election go free from violence. This town cannot afford another violence.”
Speaking at the peace talk, Chief Adekola Adeyeye, Lowa of Ife, Mr. Lawrence Awowoyin, President, Ife Development Board, urged politicians to allow peace to reign in the coming election.
It would be recalled that some suspected thugs loyal to some politicians in the town embarked on violence on Monday where properties worth millions of Naira were vandalised.
Candidates at the peace talk were Hon. Taofeek Ajilesoro of PDP, representative of Engr. Benjamin Adereti, Hon. Oladoyin Bamisayemi of APC, Mr Adeyinka Adejobi of APC, Engr. Jeremiah Abiola of PDP, Mr Saheed Fatunmise of PDP, Hon. John Fasogbo of LP, among others.
