Traditional rulers and indigenes of the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State working in the Federal College of Education, Oyo town, have called on the people of the region to see the 2027 governorship election as an opportunity to open the area to genuine development.

They made the call during a reception programme held at the institution on Thursday to mark the two years in office of the College Provost, Dr. Ademola Rauf Salami, who is an indigene of Saki, Saki West Local Government Area, by the Oke-Ogun Indigenes Staff Forum of the FCE.

The Chairman of the occasion, Retired Colonel Emmanuel Adegbola, said he left Saki for over 37 years to serve in the military and the area had little or no positive development till date.

He called for concerted efforts from all indigenes of Oke-Ogun to vote for any candidate from the area, so as to right the wrongs that have been done to the people over time.

He said: “I call for concerted efforts from all the people of our region to see the 2027 election as a rallying point for us to liberate our people instead of lamentations. I left Saki over 37 years ago to serve in the army and upon my arrival, I have seen nothing substantial in areas of human and infrastructural development. Other regions are proud to list three, four or more federal institutions in their areas but we cannot do the same. It is a shame for anyone or group to opt for Deputy Governorship position, come 2027.”

A former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, called on Oke-Ogun people to go en masse to get their voters’ card in preparation for the 2027 election.

Olaniyan said of the 1.778 million Ibadan people that registered to vote in the 2023 elections, only 401,000 voted, while a paltry 661,000 registered to vote in the Oke-Ogun area but surprisingly, 300,000 voted.

“Tell our Obas in Oke-Ogun to tell any governorship candidate from outside the region who comes to visit them to tell the visitor that enough is enough, we have served them enough, it is time to serve our own,” he urged.

The Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba Engr. Abioye Bashir Siyanbola, in his own words, challenged politicians jostling for various offices to stop establishing companies outside the region, as they were contributing to the growth of the areas where their businesses were located instead of their own areas.

The Chairman, Oke-Ogun Indigenes Staff Forum, Comrade Akinniyi Akinleye, listed many achievements of the Provost within his two years in office to include construction and renovation of eight important structures in the institution, procurement of utility vehicles, motorcycles among others, and full accreditation of all courses in the college.

While appreciating the royal fathers, school management, the forum, and dignitaries present at the occasion, the Provost promised to use the remaining years of his tenure to build on the two years’ achievements.