The new Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has called on youths in the country to support the leaders to ensure peace and progress in the country.
Oba Ogunwusi said this after the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, presented the staff of office and instruments of appointment to him.
The event held at Afewonro park, Enuwa, which had in attendance, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, governors of Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos, came exactly 35 years and one day after the immediate past Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade was presented staff of office by Late Chief Bola Ige.
The Ooni, who dedicated the staff of office to the youth of Ile Ife in Osun State and Nigeria as a whole, said, “If we have leadership, there must be followership. You cannot become a king over animals or plants; it has to be human beings.”
He urged the youth to take action to better the society, saying, “There are three cycles in life – your morning, your afternoon and your night. Your morning is your first step, your afternoon is when you carry out the most activities and your night is when you lie down to rest.
“But the youth are mostly in their afternoon. I want us to work towards cohesion, teambuilding, and not condemning our leaders all the time. Let us look at their positive side; nobody is perfect.”
He explained that by looking at the positives in life, there would be significant progress in the country.
Oba Ogunwusi, who said his philosophy was based on the need to promote oneness, gave the assurance that he had reached out to all the royal fathers on the need to chart a positive course for Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.
On his ascension to the throne, he said, “It is not by my doing nor by my power; it is ordained by God.”
Before presenting the staff of office to the new Ooni, Aregbesola tasked him on carrying everybody along.
“I must point out that for you to get the total acceptance of your people, you must be guided by their interests. The people belong to many varied interest groups.
“Such interests could be religious, political, ideological and social. You are the father of them all. Your attitude to your people will be the determinant of your success. Love them, guide them, listen to everyone.”
Aregbesola, who wished Oba Ogunwusi a peaceful and successful reign, also called on him to reach out to other chiefs.
He said, “You are very fortunate, King, to be surrounded by chiefs who loved you like their own son when you were a prince. And now they embrace you as their father. You should be in close touch with these wise elders to draw on their wisdom for the success of your reign.”
The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, were among the dignitaries present at the coronation of the Oba Ogunwusi as the 51st Ooni of Ife.
In his goodwill message, Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo, who represented President Mohammadu Buhari at the event, said the throne of Ooni, being a deep and revered institution among the Yoruba people carries the responsibility of the race.
He told the new monarch to exercise courage, integrity and loyalty to truth and charged him to be virtuous an used his position to work for the unity of the country.
The Vice President also charged the new Ooni to engage the youths in his domain positively and productively and make them to be responsible.
According to him, the event was historic and rare in all ramification saying it will remain indelible in the contemporary history of Yoruba race.
He noted that Ile Ife is blessed to have a youthful monarch at this critical period in Nigeria history and prayed for the anointing of virtuous of leadership as explained in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 10 verses 16 and 17.
Prof. Osinbajo stated that the stool of Ooni bestole on him the responsibility of carrying the responsibility of his people.
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