Oke-Ode Community Breaks Silence on Elesa’s Exclusion from Upgrading Exercise
KEHINDE EMMANUEL ILORIN
The people of Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State have applauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over the recent upgrading of 10 traditional rulers to First Class status, saying, “It is a great step forward in the government’s sustained effort towards spreading developments to every nook and cranny of the state.”
In a Congratulatory/Appeal Letter sent to the Governor, the Community also congratulated the promoted monarchs, who are all from Kwara South.
- Advertisement -
In the letter, dated 6th April, 2026, and signed by the Asiwaju of Oke-Odeland, Hon. Kolawole Yusuf, and the National President of Oke-Ode Community Development Association, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Ajala Bello, the Community, however, drew the attention of the Governor to what it called “the surprising exclusion of the Elesa of Oke-Ode from the list of the upgraded rulers.”
Citing the historical trajectories of the Elesa Stool in the traditional institution of Kwara State, the Community appealed to Governor AbdulRazaq to consider the Elesa for elevation to the First Class status.
The Oke-Ode Community leaders pointed out that “historically, and as duly gazetted in official government documents since the era of the Northern Regional Administration, the Elesa Stool is one of the most senior traditional stools in Igbominaland and, indeed, in Kwara State, and one of the first few to be officially graded by the state government shortly after the state was created in 1967.”
They further recalled that “the Elesa Stool was accorded the Third Class status in 1971 by the then Military Government of Col. David L. Bamigboye, barely four years after the creation of Kwara State”, adding that “the State Government subsequently upgraded the Stool to the Second Class status in 2005, a position the Elesa still occupies till date, making the monarch one of the most senior Second Class traditional rulers in the state before the recent upgrading exercise.
”Pointing out that if hierarchical seniority is one of the criteria for upgrading of traditional rulers, the Elesa richly deserves to be considered”, the Oke-Ode Community appealed to the Governor to help them redress what they called “the denial of the Elesa Stool its long overdue elevation.”
The Community leaders further stated that “we are assured by Your Excellency’s promise during your commiseration visit to Oke-Ode town in October last year in the wake of the September 28, 2025 bandit attack, that once a new Elesa is appointed, you would expeditiously consider his upgrading to the First Class status”, pointing out that “we believe that this promise is still valid following the appointment of the new Elesa in December last year.”
While counting on the governor’s well-known sense of justice, fairness, and equity, the community appealed to him “to douse our anxiety by considering the Stool of the Elesa of Oke-Ode for the long-awaited elevation to the First Class status, with a view to correcting the injustice meted on the Elesa by the previous administrations in the state.”
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, APRIL 11TH 2026)
