•By Oyeniyi Awojoodu, Ibadan
IBADAN – With a special congratulatory message from it’s National Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, members of the Pan Yoruba Sociocultural group, Afenifere were led to the Ile-Oodua palace of the Ooni of Ife by Chief Femi Okunronmu to felicitate with the Ooni Ife and President of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi,CFR, Ojaja II on the commemoration of his 50th birthday anniversary.
Speaking at the event, Chief Femi Okunronmu who represented Pa Reuben Fasoranti disclosed that Ile-Ife being the cradle of the Yoruba race remains the home of Afenifere, saying it is only right and proper to confirm that Afenifere remains faithful and potent to her foundational ideology part of which is the unity of the children of Oduduwa.
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“The House of Oduduwa is central to the aspiration of Yoruba people and that is our fathers came here to receive blessings from this palace which gave birth to Afenifere in 1951.
“Ife remains the home of Afenifere, it is right and proper to confirm that Afenifere remains faithful and potent to her foundational ideology part of which is the unity of the children of Oduduwa we are forever loyal this this sacred throne first occupied by our progenitor Oduduwa the great”. Okunronmu said.
Chief Femi Okunronmu also in his speech urged the Ooni to always pray for the total success of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria maintaining that Afenifere duly acknowledges the challenges that are presently befalling the country, appreciating the roles of President Tinubu in making hard decisions to tackle the agelong problems Nigeria is faced with.
“We appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the reconstruction of the Lagos Ibadan express way as we also look forward to the reconstruction of other roads like Ibadan-Ife express way and others like Akure-Ikere-Ado and Ife-Ondo roads.
“We equally appreciate the Federal House of Assembly for looking into the creation South West Development Commission.
“As a Sociocultural Pan Yoruba group, we will continue to pray for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as we would always be ready to be Ooni’s partners in progress”. Okunronmu said.
“You are the father of all of us the children of Oduduwa globally and you are the number one king of our race. Please keep up the good work.” Obaro of Kabba said.
Another chieftain of the Afenifere who is a former governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel harped on the need for the Yoruba to unite under the Ooni for the growth of the race and collectively give unflinching support to the son of the soil in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, CFR to succeed as the current Nigeria’s president saying Afenifere flows in his vein and blood.
“All the Oonis of Ife that we grow to meet have been active supporters of Afenifere and there is nothing that the organization will do without the reference to this ancestral home of all of us in Yoruba race. The unity of our race is very important, that is why we must unite behind this our natural father the Ooni as we still have a lot of work to do. The creation of South West Development Commission that our federal Honorables are looking into now is a positive sign of progress for our race.
“Whether we like it or not, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR is our president in Nigeria and he is still one of us, all of us are children of the Ooni let us continue to pray and support him”. Senator Daniel said.
Responding, Ooni Ogunwusi who doubles as Co-chairman, National Council Of Traditional Rulers Of Nigeria (NCTRN) charged the Afenifere not to leave President Bola Tinubu alone, stressing the necessity for the Afenifere leaders not to be far from President Tinubu and as well be giving him support from time to time.
“President Bola Tinubu is our son and he is the father of the nation who deserves our consistent support, please don’t leave him alone. I understand that you have been supporting him, you even visited him recently. Do not be far from him as you need to be giving him necessary advice and support from time to time”, he said.
Ooni in his usual fatherly character, showered prayers on Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, Yorubaland and Afenifere. He praised Afenifere delegation for the visit and promised to visit Pa Fasoranti in Akure soon.
“Please tell Pa Fasoranti that I will physically check on him in Akure very soon.”
The Arole Oduduwa stressed that he was particularly delighted and felt ‘highly honoured that the leadership of the foremost Yoruba organization thought it fit to come and visit him on occasion of his 50th birthday, saying this has undoubtedly come to renew his determination to serve Yorubaland more and better.
”I feel highly honoured. Today will remain as one of my most memorable days and I can only be motivated by this to serve our race further and better.” Ooni said.
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Earlier same day, the presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election and former governor of Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi was also at the palace to pay his congratulatory visit to the Ooni and attended the commissioning ceremony of the ‘Yoruba House’ a magnificent multipurpose hall built and donated by the Odole Oodua; Sir Kensington Adebutu fondly called ‘Baba Ijebu’