Owo Deserves Ose State Capital — Diamond Group Fires Back at Critics, Says ‘Merit Will Decide’
Owo Deserves Ose State Capital — Diamond Group Fires Back at Critics, Says ‘Merit Will Decide’
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday morning, the leader of Diamond Group Nigeria, Mr. Toyyib Musa-Omoloja, dismissed recent criticisms over the group’s stance on the proposed Ose State. He described the remarks by a self-proclaimed lawyer from the Owalukare Royal Family as vitriolic, envious, and unbecoming of both royalty and legal professionalism.
Musa-Omoloja noted that the lawyer’s statement lacked nobility and displayed a surprising level of ignorance, particularly for someone who claims to be a legal professional. He further criticized the individual’s approach as a distortion of historical truth aimed at undermining Owo’s legacy.
The Diamond Group coordinator addressed three key claims from the rejoinder he described as misleading. First, while Ikare served as the headquarters of the defunct Akoko Division, Owo was the headquarters of the defunct Owo Division, which had administrative authority over Akoko and neighboring towns. Second, although Ikare is a commercial center, Owo has long served as a nodal town of economic and political relevance in the district. Third, he debunked the population claim, stating that no verified data from the National Population Commission supports the idea that Ikare has a larger population than Owo, which is nearly double its size in landmass.
Musa-Omoloja then raised a fundamental question: if Ikare was truly superior in development, why wasn’t its case presented openly in discussions with Owo and other affected communities? Instead, the process was shrouded in secrecy, with no consultation or dialogue, indicating a lack of confidence and transparency.
He also condemned the role of Hon. Ifeoluwa Ehindero, the sponsor of the Ose State bill, stating that he has no mandate to impose such a project on Owo/Ose Federal Constituency. Ehindero, who represents Akoko NorthEast/NorthWest, failed to engage other communities and attempted to drag Owo into a legislative plan that excluded them from the outset.
The Diamond Group reaffirmed its earlier position that the bill is dead on arrival, describing it as a violation of democratic principles and an affront to the collective aspirations of the people.
Musa-Omoloja concluded by insisting that Owo remains the most viable choice for any new state capital in Ondo North based on merit, historical relevance, and proven leadership in development.
Full details read:
OSE STATE CAPITAL BY MERIT NOT MUSCLE: SHENANIGANS WON’T DO IT EITHER
Our attention has been drawn to the vitriols of a particular lawyer, who most likely, is an impersonator of heritage and calling. The said lawyer expressed his affiliation to Owalukare Royal Family, unfortunately there was nothing regal or noble in his deployment of language. Royals don’t deploy gutter language for public communications. That is on the one hand. On the other hand, the envy- laced rejoinder he wrote reeked so much of wilful ignorance, and we find that at variance with a profession that prides itself on learning.
However, his venomous outburst requires response if only to set the records straight. The envy and resentment of the history of Owo in his piece was quite discomfiting. Unfortunately, no society can be separated from its history as it is a veritable framework for understanding the past and the present, and may provide a gateway to the future. We are proud of our history because of its richness. In the precolonial times, Owo was a thriving city- state with imperial ambitions. During the colonial era, the ancient Kingdom exercised suzerainty over a large swathe of land and people; and post independence time till present, Owo is a beauty to behold in influence, power, and progress on all indices of development. Why won’t we be proud of our heritage and history? No amount of bellyaching will stop that!
The wilful ignorance of the writer reflected on the three points he highlighted in his jejune response, to wit:
1. Ikare as headquarters of defunct Akoko Division: If Ikare was the headquarters of defunct Akoko Division, Owo was the headquarters of defunct Owo Division which had Akoko and other adjourning towns under its administrative canopy
2. Ikare as a thriving economy: If Ikare is the economic heartbeat of Northern Ondo, Owo has been a nodal town within the Senatorial District for eons and
3. That Ikare’s population equals or is more than that of Owo should be the lie of the century. Which year did National Population Commission (NPC) release such data? Still, we can help his ignorance. Ikare is about half of Owo in landmass. We allowed him the indulgence to make his inferences from that.
Regardless of these ill-fitting narratives, there is a critical question begging for answer. If Ikare trumps Owo on developmental indices as he claimed, why was their Representative afraid to push their case in an open meeting or negotiation with Owo and other towns before railroading them into a State Project without their consent? At least, if your dress is beautiful enough, you should be confident to wear it in public. Why sell your merchandise in the dark rather than in broad daylight?
And if Hon. Ifeoluwa is running errands for his constituents, the last time we checked, Owo/Ose Federal Constituency is not part of Akoko NorthEast/Akoko North West Federal Constituency. For that reason, he cannot coerce Owo into his constituents’ agenda without prior consultation. That amounted to incivility and antediluvian predilections – all relics of stone age politics
At any rate, as we asseverated in our initial reaction to the shenanigans perpetrated by the Akoko NorthEast/Akoko NorthWest legislator in the Green Chamber, that bill remains dead on arrival. Such egregious violation of fundamental tenets of democracy and the right to collective aspiration of a people can only live in the dreams of its sponsors.
For the umpteenth time, based on all indices known to man in statecraft, Owo towers head and shoulders above other towns in Ondo North Senatorial District, and for that, any idea of state creation that does not have Owo as its capital is a mirage. After all, that a blind man cannot see the sun does not detract from the majesty of the celestial body.
Signed:
Toyyib Musa-Omoloja
Archdiamond,
Diamond Group Nigeria.
