The Olubadan-designate,Oba Rashidi Ladoja has implored compound heads and community leaders to help create a roadmap to make the left-over of ancient houses in Ibadan habitable.
He spoke at the weekend while welcoming Ibadan Mogajis who visited his residence to congratulate him on his emergence as the new Olubadan of the land.
He lamented that many Mogajis were rich enough to personally initiate developmental programme in their ancestral homes, but chosen to live in the elite areas in town like Bodija, Oluyole, Iyaganku, Jericho, Akobo, if not outrightly outside Ibadan and Nigeria where lives are relatively better.
In a statement by his media aide,Adeola Oloko, Oba Ladoja, also said some chiefs have not even summoned family meetings for a long time to discuss family developmental activities since they received chieftaincy titles.
The position of a Mogaji or Chief in Ibadan, he said, isn’t just a title but a responsibility.
He added: “We are looking at a situation where Mogajis and chiefs would not abandon their ancestral homes.By so doing, you can positively impact the younger generation looking for mentorship. You lived in this same society and have become what God wants you to be.Please,let’s encourage the people at the grassroots by staying with them and sharing with them”.
He said, if community leaders could renovate old buildings in terrible state of disrepair, and occasionally inhabit them,cases of drug abuse and other social vices would be reduced to the barest minimum.
In order to change the narrative he has renovated his family house at Isale Osi,which he would be visiting as Olubadan from time to time, he said.
He commended some of the community leaders in assisting the needy in their homesteads through provision of scholarships for indigent students,and provision of conducive environment for genuine community development.
He sought the support and co-operation of the Mogajis and chiefs in his bid to restore Ibadan’s economic fortunes.