GOVERNOR AMOSUN CALL ON OGUN POLYTECHNIC HOST COMMUNITY TO ADJUST TRADITIONAL WORSHIPPING TIME TABLE FOR STUDENTS SAFETY
Governor of Ogun State ,Senator Ibikunle Amosun has appealed to host community of the newly established Ogun State Polytechnic located in Ipokia local government to consider the students welfare and safety in the cause of traditional worshipping.
He made the appeal on Friday while laying foundation of the just approved National Board for Technical Education, NBTE polytechnic,which is expected to commence operations in November.
Amosun specifically, warned against frivolous ‘oro festival’ in Ijaiye-Okeyinbo and environs where the main campus of the institution is located,stressing that the new for traditionalists to accommodate the prospective students in the community.
The governor vehemently begged the traditionalists,particularly the ‘oro’ adherents to limit the timing of their rites to midnights,explaining further that it is when development is allowed in any community that the culture and tradition of such community can also be developed.
His words “We have our tradition and culture but we must moderate it. We will do our ‘Oro festival’ but it is better done in the dead of the night because we want development’.
Amosun added “We don’t want a situation where students will resume and their movements will be restricted at times when they should be in school. It is when we have development that our culture and tradition can be developed’.
According to him “We all have traditions when we were young, many of those shrines we grew up to know have paved way for development while many traditions have been modernised. It is when these new students are accommodated that the tradition will be developed”.
While speaking on the new polytechnic,he said it was in fulfilment of his electoral promise while campaigning for governorship seat in 2015.
The governor further added that, the establishment of the Polytechnic in Ipokia was part of his administration’s socioeconomic blueprint to distribute infrastructure across the length and breath of the state.
The Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland,Oba Kehinde Olugbenle earlier in his speech advised all village heads in the area to moderate traditions and apply wisdom in order to allow for smooth running of the new institution.
He said “I have to say this here, the Obas and Baales in Ipokia should moderate some traditions in this area, we should apply wisdom because we need to accommodate these students and lecturers coming around’.
The monarch added “We are not saying we should stop our culture and tradition but we must apply wisdom and moderate what we are doing. We have started in part of Yewaland, we must also do same here in order to allow development”
