It was an emotional moment as the people of Iresaadu, headquarters of Surulere local government area of Oyo state, expressed gratitude to the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III for visiting the town to share the message of development he envisioned for Ogbomoso zone.

This development is different from the narrative Wednesday that Iresaadu community was opposed to the townhall meeting scheduled for the town by Oba Olaoye which initially gained traction.

The Iresaadu townhall meeting represented the third in the series by the revered Oba. It took off at Lagbami Osekun Civic Centre Aromowole for the Ogbomoso South local government edition while the second one took place at Anglican Grammar School Hall, Sabo.

Soun who dis-abused the mind of the Iresas about the main purpose of his coming as it was previously insinuated that he was coming to raise the hand of a nominee as the next Aresa stressed he didn’t even know they didn’t have an Oba.

He wondered “why some people would descend so low exhibiting naiveness and push out such deceptions to whip up anger and opposition against my coming,” maintaining that his “preoccupation was development, not only of Ogbomoso North and South but of all Ogbomoso zone.”

He meanwhile reiterated he was not on the throne to lord it over anyone or grab anyone’s land but to galvanize the people for all round development though asserting God has made Soun the head and number one traditional ruler in Ogbomoso zone.

“Soun is the head of traditional rulers in Ogbomoso zone, it is how God wants it, God made it so. And government approved only three of us to be Imperial Majesty. But l am not on the throne to lord it over anyone, l am not going to cross any redline. I won’t go about vaunting Imperial Majesty chant. No, l am rather preoccupied with developmental agenda, to make Ogbomoso a model city. And we will ensure development spread to all local governments in the zone,” he said.

Distancing themselves from the alleged rejection of Oba Ghandi’s venturing into Iresaadu for the townhall meeting, the Iresaadu people through their Mogajis and Chiefs affirmed their support for him.

Prince Jimoh Oyadiran, Mogaji Osunbiyi ruling house speaking also on behalf of Emiolu ruling house and the chiefs thanked Soun for the programme.

Mogaji Oyadiran expressed confidence Iresaadu would soon have an Oba too while urging Soun to continue to seek the cooperation of communities in order to transform the zone.

Heralded to the stage by singing of the anthem of Iresaadu the spokesperson presented a jerry can of palm oil to the Oba “as a gesture of our gratitude.”Princes, princesses, chiefs, kingmakers and people of Iresaadu generally thronged the community hall to witness the epoch – making occasion. (Ogbomoso Insight)