Traders and Artisans Associations in Ogbomoso five local government councils (Ogbomosho North, Ogbomosho South , Oriire, Surulere and Ogo-oluwa) has publicly declared that Saratu Aduke Konibaje is the authentic Iyaloja of Oyo State.
The Asiwaju of Traders and Artisans’ association for the five councils in the region, Alh.Yekeen Olawuyi Boluyo made the clarification in a telephone interview with Naijatodaynew.com.
He stated this while detailing their reaction to a sudden visit made to Ogbomosho land by the self acclaimed iyaloja General of Oyo state, Mrs. Folashade Abeo who had been told by many quarters of authorities among the traders association to stop chasing shadows.
“The issue of who is the authentic Iyaloja General of Oyo State is not in anyway dicey for us here, we don’t know of any other Iyaloja than Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje, any other person who visit ogbomoso and attempt to parade herself as the Iyaloja general of Oyo state is just on a tourism visit to our land and we can never adopt two persons as Iyaloja General at the same time when we had made our stand known that Saratu Aduke Konibaje is our choice”
“My attention was drawn to the visit of one Folashade Abeo to the Soun palace who came impersonating as the Iyaloja General, claiming she wants to distribute items for our people but met the absence of the Soun of ogbomosho at the palace”
“Our people know who they had adopted as Iyaloja General. my attention was drawn to Princess Abeo’s visit and that was what made us to issue a disclaimer notice through a radio jingle to let our people know immediately that her visit was not by anyway endorsed by the market leadership in Ogbomoso land”
“Anytime our own Iyaloja general of Oyo state, Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje plans to visit Ogbomosho land, she would be received by our mammoth crowd of Ogbomoso Traders and Artisans and not the way Folashade Abeo came in the “Nicodemus” way in other to continue her journey of no mission here and that is why she was poorly received since we don’t know her as Iyaloja General and we don’t have any relationship with her whatsoever”
While also speaking to Naijatodaynew.com in the interview, Alhaja Rafatu, the Iyaloja General of Ogbomoso land also stated that Folashade Abeo is on a show of shame and a futile mission.
“We don’t know Folashade Abeo as our Iyaloja, her own Iyaloja version is illegal and she’s only being covetous and trying to get what does not belong to her by all means without minding the fact that she cannot impose herself on us, she is not our choice and she can never be our choice even if she keep doing her illegal empowerment visit up and down the whole state, her action remains laughable to us, it is a show of shame and it holds no water”
“She’s been warned severally to stop chasing shadows and embarking on a futile journey as the end is already known to be fruitless”
“As far as we are concerned, Alhaja Saratu Aduke Konibaje is our choice in Ogbomoso land and the entire Oyo state, Governor Seyi Makinde is not uninformed of these as we have remain unanimous on our decision to stand with Saratu Aduke and we know our Governor is not the type that would declare anyone who is not acceptable by the entire traders association as Iyaloja general of Oyo state, He is a listening Governor who works by majority views in any matter of public interest “
Recall that princess Folashade Abeo has continually paraded herself in the media as Iyaloja General of Oyo state when the state government did not recognize her as one.
Recent developments also revealed that traders in Ibadan and Oyo town have rejected Princess Abeo as Iyaloja General of Oyo State. The latest is the rejection notice from ogbomosho region making it three out of the five major regions in the state that has publicly rejected and warned her from parading herself as the Iyaloja General of Oyo State.
