Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that the era of brigandage, civil disturbance, and violence at the Ibadan Eid ground is over.
Makinde made this declaration on Sunday in Ibadan, the state capital, while addressing the Muslim faithful, including Islamic clerics, traditional rulers, and political officeholders who visited his residence.
Among those in attendance were Deputy Governor Abdulraheem Adebayo Lawal and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland and former governor of the state, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
Addressing the gathering, Makinde said: “Let me take this opportunity to reflect on the past. When we cast our minds back to 2007, we can all see how much has changed since then. Today, people from different political parties attend prayers at the Eid ground together and come to greet me as governor.
“We used to have a different situation in Oyo State back then. Before Eid, you would hear people say that certain individuals should not attend.
“But today, because we have peace in Oyo State, we are witnessing development and peaceful co-existence, and we are committed to sustaining these gains.
“We have seen the consequences of those difficult periods, and we can now compare them with the present. When we foster unity and live in peace, development and progress naturally follow. That is what we are experiencing in Oyo State today.”