The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has appealed to governments at all levels to ensure that members of the public feel the positive impact of the taxes they pay.
A statement by Chief Olugbemiga Ayoade, the Chief Press Secretary to the Olubadan, said Ladoja made the appeal when members of the management of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria paid a courtesy visit to the palace on Thursday.
The royal father emphasized that the public must enjoy basic necessities of life such as security, potable water supply, good roads, regular power supply, and job opportunities.
He also said citizens need to be alive to their civic responsibilities by paying taxes, noting that failure to do so may force the government to resort to borrowing.
The Olubadan further cautioned the government against double taxation, adding that certified members of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria should be involved in taxation matters.
He charged the professional body to identify areas where it could contribute to ongoing developmental initiatives in Ibadanland.
Earlier in his address, the President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Mr. Innocent Ohagwa, said Ibadan occupies a distinguished place in Nigeria’s history as a city of culture, commerce, and leadership.
Ohagwa acknowledged the Olubadan’s remarkable role in shaping Nigeria’s democratic experience at various defining moments.
“Beyond seeking royal blessings, we have also come to draw from the wisdom of traditional institutions, which historically represented one of the earliest frameworks through which taxation and communal contributions were well organized.
“Long before modern tax laws and revenue authorities emerged, traditional institutions played a vital role in taxation, and this legacy remains instructive even today,” Ohagwa said.
Present at the courtesy visit were Oba Kolawole Adegbola, the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland; Chief Muibi Ademola, the Aare Alasa Olubadan; and Chief Adegboyega Adegoke, the Aare Egbe Omo Balogun of Ibadanland, among others.
