The Caretaker Chairman of Ibadan East Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Hon. Prince Gbade Lana has stated that contributing to the upliftment of the people in rural areas has been his major political ambition.

Hon. Prince Gbade Lana made this known while featuring as a guest on ''Community Today'' an online TV program on CEOAfrica. The former chairman Oyo State Library Board attributed the delay in the conduct of local government election in the state to court injunctions secured by those who felt cheated with the creation of the new LCDAs. He however expressed optimism that the new date set out by Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC to conduct local government election across the state will be made a reality.

The son to late Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Odulana Odunlade 1 said the two driving forces behind his quest to becoming the chairman of Ibadan East LCDA is to actualize his ambition of becoming a local government chairman as this has been his long term political ambition, as well as fulfilling his heart desire to improve the lots of people in the LCDA. He revealed that, he once refused an offer to become a senator as well as, to be a member of the house of representatives because, he had always wanted to transform the lives of people living in rural areas by becoming the chairman of a local government. 

''Well I've been in politics since 1991 and my major ambition has been to be the chairman of a local government but along the line, his excellency rewarded my activities by giving me the chairmanship of Oyo State Library Board during which he also announced my name as a commissioner in Oyo State. But all along, I've always told him that wanting to contribute to the upliftment of the people in the rural area has been my major ambition in politics'', he said.

Responding to question on his achievements so far as the caretaker chairman of Ibadan East LCDA, Hon. Prince Gbade Lana highlighted some of his achievements within a year in office as repairing of roads, renovation of schools, provision of borehole water to the people of Orayan market who have been craving for such project for the past 12 years, ongoing construction of about three roads within the LCDA among others

There should be autonomy for LG

Hon. Prince Gbade Lana believed that local government administrations in Nigeria should be given autonomy since the constitution recognizes local government as the third tier of government in the country. He blamed the renewed agitations for local government autonomy by Nigerians on some state governors who have completely taken over the running of local government administrations in their states. He therefore called for the autonomy of local government administrations in the country saying that their subventions should be paid directly to them by the federal government 

The caretaker chairman praised the governor of Oyo State for according the necessary freedom to local government administrations in the state to operate within the confine of their financial capacity.

Prince Gbade Lana went further to suggest that there should be some measures of checks and balances in the discharge of local government duties as experience had shown in the past where local government chairmen squandered the money that was given to them for developmental purpose.

On retaining the current 774 local government structures as being canvassed for in some quarters, the Ibadan East LCDA boss disagreed with those clamoring for the present structures noting that the only way people can enjoy and receive the dividends of democracy is to bring government closer to the people and this can only be achieved by creating more local government across the country. He therefore charged states to emulate states like Lagos, Ogun, Osun and Oyo in creating LCDAs in order to take government closer to the people.

All other Obas are still subject to Olubadan

On Olubadan Chieftaincy Review, Hon. Prince Gbade Lana dismissed the claim that the Olubadan’s throne is being trampled upon, saying “the review was done by the state government in the interest of Ibadan land and to also exalt the Olubadan’s throne”. He noted that the review did not in any way affect the supremacy of the Olubadan as the paramount and premier ruler of Ibadan land.

''There is still one Olubadan, He is the only premier Oba in Ibadan. All other Obas that were recently given the crowns are still subject to Olubadan. This is one of the things the people do not understand. The Olubadan in Council as it used to be called consisted of Otun, Osi, Asipa on both lines. These are the people who governor Ajimobi graciously crowned, to enhance the dignity of Olubadan himself because if the Ooni of Ife goes out now, he goes with his retinue of Obas.

The Oyo prince sited an instance where the late Olubadan, Oba Odulana Odunlade was embarrassed in Abuja when his high chiefs were not given due recognitions. He further said that with the new Obas in place, the Olubadan will be accorded more respect whenever he goes out with his retinue of Obas.

Hon. Prince Gbade Lana explained that there is still one Olubadan whose supremacy has not been tampered with despite the review carried out by the state government. According to him, the late Olubadan actually introduced some reviews to the chieftaincy issue ''My father started something when he was alive. He made sure that whoever wanted to become mogaji must at least have a school certificate. That is also a review because as the time when he got there anybody could come and say he wanted to be Olubadan. But because of the dignity he brought to royal hood you found people even an admiral in the Nigerian Navy is now a mogaji, engineers, medical doctors, lawyers all of them became interested in mogaji because of the dignity that His Royal Majesty, Oba Odulana Odunlade brought to the obaship''.

Barrister Shittu is the one in trouble

Commenting on the letter written by one of the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Minister of Communication, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, accussing governor Abiola Ajimobi of creating troubles within the folds of the party, Hon. Prince Gbade Lana dismissed such claim saying, “the minister is the one in trouble and his ambition has beclouded his sense of justice”. He noted that a party that is in disarray will not witness mass influx of political bigwigs into its fold.

The Ibadan East LCDA however cautioned the governorship aspirant to follow the due process of leadership structures in the party so as to ensure harmony. He further called on Barrister Shittu to respect the leadership structure in the state rather than employ the instrument of national might to undermine the hierarchical structure of the party in the state.

PACKAGED BY OKE OSAHON