Ibadan people ready to follow Makinde anywhere – Ajewole, CCII President General

President General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, has said that Ibadan people are ready to follow Governor Seyi Makinde anywhere he leads.

Ajewole, who disclosed this in an interview with The People’s Verdict, described the governor as an icon and a pride of Ibadan people.

His words, “Seyi Makinde is a pride of Ibadan people. He is a holder of one of the highest awards of CCII. He got the award in 2017 when he was not yet the governor. So, he is well respected, he has been an icon to sons and daughters of Ibadan even before he became the governor. That is why Ibadan people will be willing to follow him anywhere. I am very sure of that; he has more than 90 per cent support of Ibadan people.

“During the last election, he got 72 per cent of the popular vote from Ibadan. So, he is well appreciated and he will continue to be appreciated because he is doing a good work, not only for Ibadanland but the whole of Oyo State. We love him, we respect him.”

The CCII President General, who noted that Governor Makinde has been outstanding in infrastructure development and workers’ welfare, cited the Ibadan Circular Road, which had been abandoned since 2007 but resuscitated by the current administration. He added that the governor has not limited his administration’s infrastructure revolution to just Ibadan as all other parts of the state have had their share of road construction and rehabilitation.

He also lauded the governor for his intervention in agriculture, which culminated in the transformation of Fasola Farm Estate into Fasola Industrial Hub.

Appreciating the governor for his leadership ability, the CCII President General said, “He made sure that the issue with NURTW (National Union of Road Transport Workers), which was a major problem he inherited from his predecessor, he ensured that he resolved it. He always ensures that if there is a problem coming, there will be an answer immediately.”

Speaking on Makinde’s support for the building of Olubadan Palace, Chief Ajewole said, “When I came into office, we had a palace that had been abandoned for over seven years. When I went to see him, I had three requests. The first was that we wanted to complete the Olubadan Palace. To the surprise of the four of us that were there, he said, ‘My President General, this is possible and it will be done. The Olubadan Palace belongs to 11 local governments in Ibadan, so they will contribute to its building and I as a person, not Oyo State Government, will donate N250million.’ The four of us were surprised.

“This is someone I, in person, and the whole of Ibadan, I am speaking on behalf of the whole of Ibadan, have a lot of respect and regard for, even our elders. We see him as God-sent. To the best of my knowledge, Governor Seyi Makinde is a God-sent and a blessing to Ibadan and Oyo State.”