The Agbaigba of Ijake Oke, Oba Kayode Joseph Ogungbohun is a 21st century traditional ruler on the stool of his forebears to use all he has to develop his domain rather than to use all his domain is blessed with to develop himself and his immediate family. Oba Ogungbohun, from the Isolo Ruling House, is a fanatical believer of the late US President, J.F. Kennedy’s historic speech during his inauguration on January 20, 1961. Kennedy challenged American citizens, “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country”. In this interview with TheTabloid.net, the royal father explains what the traditional stool symbolises to him, insisting it means service and sacrifice for the good of his town and his people. Excerpts
You sound unique in your synopsis of your town, especially your strong emphasis on development, removing the veil off the face of your town.
I consider this a compliment, but I must say with every sense of responsibility that my life, before I ascended to the throne in February this year, was about service in my little way. I didn’t see life as a place where I would be the only person who would have. I saw life as a place where everyone should have at least basic things to live a meaningful life. Everyone can’t and won’t be millionaires, but everyone should live a decent life. That was the mindset I grew with that followed me to the throne. I have two NGOs. One is Abraham Ajibode Ogungbohun Foundation. The second is Oba Kayode Ogungbohun Noble Heritage Foundation. You can see that the mindset needs to be expanded because I am now faced with higher expectations and higher responsibilities as a traditional ruler.
What type of town did you meet on your installation in terms of state of development?
The town I met was a town in need of immediate transformation in different areas. For instance, we depend on drawing water from the Yewa river; I mean a flowing river in the 21st century. I found this unacceptable. My people have accepted that fate to the extent that they don’t see anything wrong in it; they don’t think of any water disease and associated dangers. As a matter of fact, they say drinking from that water is the source of the love and sense of communalism they have for one another. To them, because of their level of faith, that is okay. But to me, based on my profession as a public health person, a registered nurse who has practised in and outside Nigeria, it is unacceptable because it is a dangerous life. It means we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder waiting to explode.
Then what will you do?
What I will do is what I have started; we are going to stop that life. I have dug a borehole to start with. We are going to dig more; that is going to be a natural solution to the age-old problem. I also want to increase children enrolment in primary school. I started my life as a pupils teacher at Holy Child Independent Private School, Owode Yewa. With that background, I know that our children are our future, but if we don’t do what we should do for them today, that tomorrow is not assured. These children are the adults tomorrow with whom I will administer this town. So, I’m going to build a block of classrooms to be completed and commissioned at my anniversary in February 2025.
Don’t you call the government’s attention to this infrastructural deficit in your town?
We reached out to the senator representing the Yewa West senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Olamilekan Yayi. He’s positive. Something about me is that I like to make efforts to first lift my load before I seek a helping hand. Let the government see that we are doing something. But a situation whereby you rely on the government, you may not go anywhere. And that is not my promise to my town. I want to take the lead before others come in. I am confident that we are going to get there, but it may not be a rapid thing.
You mentioned a particular challenge regarding the landscape of your town. Can you remind me?
That must be the process of digging boreholes. We encounter problems because it is difficult to dig and get water due to the nature of the land, the topography. Some contractors would come, test, and go. So, it is expensive to dig borehole for this reason. I spent N6 million to dig a unit. Can you imagine that? But where there is a will, there is a way. I am not dettered at all. I know we are going to overcome any challenge on our way to developing this town.
Where is your town in Yewa?
My town is in the Yewa North Local Government of Ogun State.
What were you doing before you ascended to the throne?
I worked at Critical Rescue International, Ikeja; Wibross Offshore Nigeria Limited, Port-Harcourt; Chevron Nigeria Limited; Abu Dhabi National Oil Refinery, United Arab Emirates. I worked at the company’s Occupational Health Department. I am a member of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses of Ireland. I was executive director of the Nigerian Association of Occupational Health Nurses. I served as president, professional Nigerians in the UAE, and the alumni association of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital School of Nursing, Midwifery and Perioperative Care. At the social level, I am a member of the Rotary Club, Shagamu Metropolitan.
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