…Oloro, High Chief, ex-commissioner speak on way forward
By Mike Adeyemi
About 45 minutes away from Ilorin, the Kwara State capital is Oro, a town notable for its industrious people and self help projects.
The community is famous and one of the largest in Irepodun Local Government Area. The people of Oro are Yoruba of Igbomina extraction.
Oro is made up of nine generic towns namely; Okerimi Oro, Afin Oro, Agbe Ola, Iddo Oro, Ijomu Oro, Iludun Oro, Irebode Oro, Oke Ola Oro and Otun Oro before being joined lately by Sie and Olorunsogo Oro.
The town is bordered by two communities; Ajase-Ipo, to the north and Edidi to the south.
Unlike most communities that wait on government for provision of facilities, it is on record that many of the infrastructures in Oro were achieved through contributions from indigenes of the community especially the affluent.
Oro in the 19th century was the cynosure of neighbouring communities due to the magnificent buildings which dotted its landscape and the impressive number of successful businessmen that hail from the conglomerate towns. Some of those edifices were built in the 1930s and 40s.
Many of them eke their living selling items such as singlet, sandals, spoons, cooking utensils and hanger among other products in Lagos, which is their Mecca of sort.
Many of them left Oro right from pre-independence to trade in different merchandise in Lagos. Till date, the people of the community dominate Idumagbo, Idumota and Docemo where they sell their wares.
It is conventionally believed that sons and daughters of Oro are upright, hardworking, hospitable and creative. These attributes may have accounted for their tag of “Owo ni e je, e ni jagbado” meaning “we can conveniently use money to address all issues.”
Prominent among indigenes of the community who have contributed in various sectors to the development of the state and Nigeria are; the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Fast rising Fuji musician, Wasiu Alabi Odetola (Pasuma), veteran Nollywood actor, Yinka Quadri, the Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulaiman Abdulkareem Age, former VC, University of Ilorin, Prof John Oyinloye (of blessed memory) and widely travelled socialite, Otunba Olabode Oyedepo (De Way), among others.
For all the distinguished features and notable people of Oro, recent happenings in the town have continued to put question mark on the high repute which the public hold the people of the community.
The people of Oro and friends of the community were stunned last month (May), when a resident of the town, Ibikunle Ogunleye (better known as Arrow) was among the suspects arrested in connection with the April 5, banks robbery incident in Offa. The robbery attack was described as the deadliest in the history of Nigeria with no fewer than 33 people including nine policemen and pregnant women were killed by the robbers.
The 36-year-old’s arrest drew deluge of press release from people of the community with the Community in a statement signed by its President; Chief Bode Alayoku claiming the suspect is not a native of Oro but an indigene of Etan-Ayegbaju, Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
“He (Arrow) was nabbed in Oro by the police while he was allegedly trying to escape from justice. No family bears Ogunleye in the entire history of Oro town,” Alayoku was quoted to have said.
Few days later, four other suspects led by Ayoade Akinnibosun (aka AY) arrested in connection to the same incident, in their confessional statement also traced their nativity to the ancient town.
The latest development jolted the people of the town with many claiming none of the suspects are actually from Oro but migrants from other communities.
Speaking on the incident, a veteran journalist from the community, Mathew Adekeye said the gang leader, Akinnibosun (aka AY) is a native of Ondo, Arrow from Etan-Ayegbaju, while the three others; Adeola Abraham (35), Salawudeen Azzez (49) and Niyi Ogundiran (37) are mechanics from other communities but residents of Oro.
“The only correlation they have with Oro is that they schooled here and our people are receptive to non-indigenes. We don’t discriminate when dealing with the generality of the inhabitant of the community.
“I can say it emphatically that none of the suspects paraded so far are from Oro”, Adekeye submitted.
On his part, the former commissioner for information in Kwara State, Chief Raheem Adedoyin in a telephone chat with our reporter yesterday said, “Oro being a cosmopolitan settlement accommodate all and sundry in their different business endeavours which I think these people leverage on to bite us at the back.”
Adedoyin however charged leaders and indigenes of the community to learn their lessons from the embarrassing incident by being vigilant. According to him, it is imperative for true sons and daughters of Oro to guard against any act that could dent the image of the community in the future.
Similarly, the Chief Imam of Oro, Alhaji Taofeek Sanusi described the incident as a huge embarrassment to the people of the community. He however urged the suspects to mention their communities of origin to the police instead of giving Oro a bad name.
“Ever since the suspects linked their origin to Oro, I have continued to cover my vehicle’s number plate to avoid oral assault as I dread people calling me the Chief Imam of armed robbers’ community”.
Also, a member of Kwara House of Assembly, Hon. Mathew Babaoye said; “as a person, I know them (suspects), they schooled, and reside in Oro, but none of them are indigenes of Oro.
“I think we must have learnt a lesson as a community and the lessons should not be for Oro alone, but a deterrent to other communities too.
“A community ought to take into cognisance and monitor the trend of strange movements in their neighbourhood; this is part of what caused us such embarrassment.
“In a situation where landlord does not bother to know the sources of income of his tenant, what do you expect?”
Similarly, the Asanlu of Oro town, High Chief Simeon Olayemi Olayioye confirmed that three of are well known in the community, adding that they were frequently seen in company with an Oro politician, Otunba Bode Oyedepo aka De Way whenever he was in town.
“We had earlier issued a disclaimer on Ibikunle Ogunleye a.k.a ‘Arrow’ who had initially linked his origin to our community. The name Ogunleye has no root in the lineage of Oro.
“We were taken aback last week, again when five of the suspects paraded by the Nigerian Police Force claimed to be indigenes of Oro, immediately the Chiefs- in- Council met to authenticate their compound; we did our findings, and discovered that none of the suspects are from our town.
“I know only three out of them. I know Ayo Akinibosun a,k,a AY, I know Ogunleye, a.k.a Arrow and the third person whose name I can’t recollect now, but they are not indigenes of Oro. I know they reside in Bode De Way’s house,” he explained.
Lending his voice to the issue, the National President of Oro Descendant Union, Alhaji Tunji Balogun lamented that that the name of the community has been denigrated by the suspects, adding that the development necessitated the press statement on the matter.
“The confession of the suspects showing affiliation with Oro Kingdom is gross miscalculation and embarrassment. Oro people are known for hard work, with no synonyms with banditry or thuggery.
“I want to say it emphatically that those paraded by the police have no trace or root in our land; perhaps they should be questioned further to tell the whole world where their compound is in Oro,” he added.
