Oyo South Senatorial Candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, has expressed optimism that Ibadan can attain Dubai’s status through collective efforts of all indigenes.
Mr Alli made this assertion on Wednesday in Ibadan while delivering a lecture entitled: “Ibadan Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”.
The lecture was organised by the Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in commemoration of Oba Lekan Balogun’s 100 days on the throne, as the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The Maye Balogun of Ibadanland and former Secretary to Oyo State Government, said Ibadan which indigenes are trying to build now will be a centre for real estate and agriculture.
“We believe that Ibadan can become a city like Dubai, when its indigenes can collectively invest in the city,” Mr Alli said.
He therefore urged the indigenes to industrialise the city by setting up industries for its economic development.
In his goodwill message, Senator Lekan Balogun said, “Ibadan indigenes are now willing to invest in their children’s intellectual capacity and not acts of thuggery.”
Also, Oluyemisi Adeaga, the President-General, Central Council of lbadan Indigenes (CCII), said that the vision of the Olubadan was to make Ibadan to be capital of commerce.
Mr Adeaga urged the indigenes to make meaningful contributions toward the development of the town.
In her remarks, Mutiat Ladoja, the Agbaakin Iyalode of Ibadanland, urged journalists to help in promoting the culture and tradition of Yorubaland.
Mrs Ladoja, represented by Dolapo Dosunmu, a former State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), urged the people to promote their indigenous languages, so they won’t go into extinction.
According to her, the people should endeavour to promote their local languages by encouraging the children at home to speak the local dialects.
“Our language must not perish, we should be proud of them,” Mrs Ladoja, wife of former Oyo governor Rasidi Ladoja said.
She, therefore, advised all to come back home and improve their culture and tradition to curb the unruly behaviours which is presently prevalent among Nigerian youth.