Date: 2020-05-15

Community elders in Moro local government area of Kwara state have called on the state government to immediately restore the Oba of Jebba and Ohoro of Shao to their pre-1984 status.

The elders, under the umbrella of Moro Concerned Elders Movement, in a statement titled: Ilorin Emirate Opposes call For Grading of Chiefs in Jebba,Shao also demanded the elevation of Jebba and Shao monarchs to first class status to meet up with their counterparts, the Olusin of Isin, Olupako of Share and Olosi of Osi in the state.

The statement was jointly signed by President of the group, Alhaji Isiaka Jimoh, its General Secretary, Dr Bolaji Alabi Afolabi and Chief Theophilus Oyebiyi, Director of Publicity.

The Ilorin Emirate Council had last week cautioned the state government against acceding to the request for the elevation of the traditional chiefs of Jebba and Shao in Moro local government area of the state.

However, the Moro elders in their statement, said it was a deliberate attempt to confuse both public and state government on the facts of the issue of request by the community for the upgrading of traditional rulers in the local government area.

The leaders said: "Traditional chiefs in the present day Moro local government area have always been recognised and accorded grading. Way back in the early 20th century, during the colonial period in 1930 the Ohoro of Shao was graded 5th class".

They added that both Ohoro of Shao and Oba of Jebba were accorded recognition and grading by the administration of former governors of the state, Alhaji Adamu Attah and Mohammed Lawal.

"We want to recall that in December 2016,Moro concerned elders prepared and issue an all-inclusive memorandum to Kwara state government on the grading of Kwara State traditional rulers, 'Moro people demand for justice', a document which detailed all injustice to Moro local government area as it related to the traditional institution," they said.

The elders, therefore, demanded for the immediate implementation of the Kwara State Government's White Paper of 17th December 1987, which directed that the appointment of district heads from Ilorin for Moro should be abolished and such appointments be made from among the indigenes of the local government area.

They also demanded for immediate recognition and grading of other traditional rulers in Bode Saadu,Okutala,Oloru, Bielesin, Malete,Lanwa,Budo-Are,Oloworu and Babaloke all in Moro local government area of Kwara state.