The Sun
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Oladayo Ogunjebe, has described the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, Ogbagba II, as a man of candour and grace who served his people diligently for 64 years.
Otunba Ogunjebe said in a press statement that the monarch, who passed away on Sunday, was a rare breed and should be emulated by those in positions of authority in the country.
“I received the news of the passing away of our most esteemed father in Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, with shock and heartfelt sadness, considering the fact that the nation and particularly the Ijebu people need him at this auspicious time.
“Reflecting further on our father’s earthly sojourn, we, however, take solace in the fact that Oba Adetona lived a very fulfilling and impactful life that touched Nigerians and particularly the people of Ijebuland positively,” he said.
According to Otunba Ogunjebe, the late Oba Adetona succeeded in uniting the Ijebu people while alive through culture and the spirit of communality, which other townships and communities are now emulating.
His words: “Through the annual Ojude Oba Festival and similar other platforms, it must be said that Baba helped nurture bonds and kinship amongst Ijebu people. These efforts have subsequently been copied and emulated by other communities and worship not only in Yorubaland but across the country.
“This is so because other traditional rulers have found the need to reinvent their traditional festivals as a means of fostering bonds and kinship amongst their people. Kudos for this goes to our just departed father.”
Otunba Ogunjebe lauded the late monarch for the foresight, courage, and strategy he displayed by turning the Ojude Oba Festival, which hitherto was a family affair, into a global franchise that not only became a cash cow for Ijebuland but has also generated interest from far and wide.
“We will not forget in a hurry the pivotal role played by our esteemed departed father, who turned the Ojude Oba Festival from an annual ritual of the Kuku family into a global franchise worth over $2 billion.
“It is instructive to also note that the festival, which has grown in leaps and bounds, has continued not only to attract sons and daughters of Ijebuland from far and near, it has also stimulated interest from friends of Ijebuland, both locally and internationally, who would not wish to miss it for any reason.
“It must be noted that on the weekend when the event is held, the epicentre of the festivities, Ijebu-Ode, witnesses an inflow of foreign exchange from visitors from overseas, thus stimulating the local economy,” he concluded.
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