Prioritise competence over nativism, Ogun monarch tells Nigerians

The Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, has warned Nigerians against trading competence for nativism in the selection of candidates for appointment.

The monarch, who is also the chairman of the State Traditional Council, insisted that appointment should not be based on where one comes from, but on competence and integrity.

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He spoke during the send-forth ceremony of the immediate past Rector of the Gateway ICT Polytechnic Saapade, Dr Isaiah Oyeyinka.

Oba Ajayi noted that since people are free to push for the appointment of an indigene to head any establishment, such a candidate must be competent to do the job.

He said shortly after he had ascended the throne in December 2017, he was inundated with complaints and demands for Oyeyinka’s removal “because he is not from Remoland.”

The monarch said after he visited the institution, he was convinced that Oyeyinka, an Egbaman, had turned the polytechnic around for good.

Responding, Oyeyinka said “Over the past eight years, we have demonstrated our capacity to inculcate the culture of neatness, hard work, academic excellence, excellent infrastructural development, and above all, we tried to inculcate a culture of excellent human development and personality transformation.”