Residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital have decried the condition of Mapo Hall, venue for the coronation of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Senator Rashidi Ladoja, which is expected to hold on Friday, Sept. 26.
The residents frowned at the untidy nature of the historic Mapo Hall and its environment, saying the venue that will play host to Nigeria’s President, governors across the nation and eminent personalities should not be dirty and untidy.
According to them, cleaning of Mapo Hall which should be the responsibility of the state Ministry of Environment has been abandoned without giving required attention.
The Ibadan people have however said they are ready to do the cleaning and painting, describing the current condition of Mapo Hall if not attended to before the coronation as a slap to the Olubadan himself and people of Ibadanland.
When contacted, various traditional leaders, including prominent Mogajis and Baales in Ibadanland, agreed that “Mapo Hall and its environ is very dirty, and it is the responsibility of Ministry of Environment to clean it ahead of the coronation.
“As a town that wants to host the President of the country, governors and eminent personalities in Nigeria, this will be a slap on the Institution of Olubadan and the people of Ibadanland.
“Now that we see that the Ministry of environment has refused to tidy up Mapo and its environs in less than 48hrs to the coronation, Ibadan people have now decided to do the cleaning by themselves.
“We don’t want to assume that because the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Temilolu Ashamu is from Oyo town, maybe that is why he has refused to do the needful.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner, however, proved abortive as calls and messages put across to his mobile lines were not acknowledged or responded to.
