The Olomu of Omupo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Muhammad Yaqub Adebayo Buari, has appealed to the Kwara State Government to upgrade the Omupo Cottage Hospital to enhance healthcare delivery for the community.
The royal father also called for the establishment of a tertiary institution in the area to boost its socioeconomic development.
Oba Yaqub made the appeal during the commissioning of the new Aganju Olomu and the 2024 Oba Igba Festival held in the community over the weekend.
“Today, the Omupo Cottage Hospital is the third-highest revenue-generating health facility for the Kwara State Government in the southern region. The hospital serves about 10,000 patients and was recognized as the best service provider of 2023 by the Kwara State Health Insurance Agency,” the monarch said.
He emphasized the strategic role of traditional rulers, noting that they are the closest to the people.
“We are in a unique position to ensure that the government meets the needs of the people and that the people, in turn, trust and collaborate with the government to achieve common goals,” he said.
The Olomu of Omupo urged the Kwara State Government to expand the roles of traditional rulers and provide them with better support.
“This vital role can only be achieved in a conducive, modern environment, which is why we have constructed the new Aganju Olomu,” he added.
According to him, the new facility will serve not only the people of Omupo but also traditional rulers and residents of 38 towns and villages within the Omupo District.
The monarch also congratulated Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on the numerous impactful initiatives and projects his administration has implemented to elevate Kwara State.
On behalf of his forebears and the Council of Chiefs, Oba Yaqub expressed gratitude to the sons and daughters of Omupo, as well as their in-laws, friends, and well-wishers, for their support in building the new Aganju Olomu and organizing the annual festival.
In his remarks, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by his Chief of Staff, Prince Abdulkadir Aliyu Mahe, commended the Olomu of Omupo for fostering peace and driving progress in the community.
The governor, who commissioned the new Aganju Olomu, described the event as a testament to the monarch’s visionary leadership.
“Under the leadership of Oba Muhammad Yaqub Adebayo Buari, with the support of the Omupo Descendants Union and other stakeholders, Omupo is undergoing remarkable transformation,” he said.
The governor praised the royal father’s commitment to peace, unity, and progress, which has created an environment where the people of Omupo thrive.
Governor AbdulRazaq congratulated the Olomu of Omupo and the entire community on the successful event.
Speaking at the event, the Secretary-General of the Omupo Descendants Union (ODU) and representative of its National President, Alhaji Tajudeen Adigun, highlighted the community’s efforts to remodel the palace to meet the evolving roles of traditional rulers in fostering peace and development.
Adigun congratulated the Olomu of Omupo and the entire community, while also urging the state government to upgrade the Olomu of Omupo’s stool to First-Class status.