Ibadan, Oct 16, 2025 (This Day/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --
The Belgium Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Peiter Leenknegt, yesterday, parleyed the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, on bilateral economic relationship between Belgium and the ancient city of Ibadanland.
The envoy during a courtesy call on Oba Ladoja at Olubadan palace Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, lauded the government's diversion policy from the oil and gas sector to the agricultural sector, disclosing that Cocoa that the country was known for has taken over the oil and gas at the International market.
"Since 2024, cocoa has been over taking crude oil as the main export product from Nigeria to Belgium. For this fact, the price of cocoa has risen, and I think that is a good thing for the farmers which means they will be making better livelihood. That also shows that our commercial relations are diversifying beyond," he said.
Oba Ladoja, in his speech, said his main focus was to protect all residents in the ancient city, irrespective of their tribe, religious or political inclinations.
"My ascension to the throne of Ibadanland is divine. As I said, it's not the Ifa oracle that chooses Oba for Ibadan. It is not money that chooses for Ibadan. It is long life granted by God.
"And I'm very happy that when the Ambassador was talking, he was talking in the same sense that the role of Kabiyesi nowadays is different from the role it was in 50 years ago.
"They look more up onto us for support. One of our responsibilities, as Olubadan, is to make sure that, there is peace in Ibadanland which we are already working on.
"We cannot talk about peace without talking about the stomach infrastructure. We have to find away of engaging our youths, maybe when they are busy, when they are well taken care of, the incident of drugs addiction which is now threatening the founding of Ibadanland will be tackled," he said.
Olubadan then appreciated the Belgium government for partnering and collaborating with Ibadanland, adding that the city has enough farmland for agriculture.
"Let me appreciate the intellectual and financial capacity of the country. They have it, the Ambassador has assured me that whenever we knock, they will be there to assist us.
"Ibadan has been there for other Yorubaland. We have our own mineral resources which we can also talk today. We have agricultural land which means that either the grass land you want to use, we have it, whether forest we have it. That's why Ibadan is different from many other places.
"The Ambassador has introduced the platform which I intend to exploit immediately. He said they have a committee of French speaking Ambassadors in Nigeria.
"The two of us will discuss, and I will be very happy to host all of them in Ibadan very soon so that with them, we will plan how we can transform Ibadan, not only the fact that we are leaving on the history of first but to continue moving fast so that nobody will catch us. We are first already, we are Pacesetter and we want to remain so," he explained.
In a related development, Oba Ladoja has urged traditional rulers to lead by example so as to sanitize the traditional institution.
He made the call while receiving the Olofi Isheri Olofin of Lagos, Oba Ibrahim Bello at the Olubadan Palace Oke-Aremo, Ibadan.
COMTEX_469564039/2029/2025-10-16T10:30:57
by Kemi Olaitan
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