The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said Nigeria will triumph over the menace of killings, kidnappings, banditry and other social evils afflicting it easily if the citizens can demonstrate the spirit of unity, love and patriotism.
“No challenge can overwhelm a nation, state or town where the citizens consider unity, love and patriotism as strength. I pray that God will help us to check insecurity in Nigeria. We can also help ourselves by showing love and unity to be able to achieve this,” the monarch stated.
Oba Ogunwusi, represented by the Obalufe of Ile-Ife, Oba Idowu Adediwura, spoke in Ejiyan Ekiti in the Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Saturday during the first coronation anniversary of the Obalaaye of Ejiyan Ekiti, Oba Adekunle Adepoju.
The occasion, which witnessed the conferment of chieftaincy and honorary titles on eminent Nigerians, also served as a fundraiser for the construction of an ultramodern palace for the Obalaaye.
The Ooni said, “The spirit I am seeing today is a good example of how to develop a town. I can see that love has taken charge in this town, Ekiti and Nigeria,” as he appealed to the people to sustain their cooperation with their monarch “to propel development in Ejiyan.”
Oba Adepoju, who appreciated Governor Kayode Fayemi for granting the town autonomy from the old Ipoti Ekiti as an impetus for rapid development in the town, gave an assurance that Ejiyan would partner with the government to fast-track development in the community and cohabit peacefully with other towns to entrench peace in the area.
The monarch said the community, through his subjects’ support, had been complementing the government’s efforts in areas such as the “renovation of our market, provision of uniforms for indigent students of the Ejiyan Community Primary School, renovation of our old palace, provision of electricity, extension of network of feeder roads and completion of a hospital complex here in Ejiyan.”
He, however, appealed to Fayemi to pave the Ejiyan-Odo Owa, Ejiyan-Isanlu and and Ejiyan-Iloro roads with asphalt for rapid development and opening up of the town to socio-economic prosperity.
The Chairman, Coronation Anniversary Committee, Dr Olakunle Olajide, said the town aimed at going higher in achieving the dreams of its founding fathers, as he appreciated those whose contributions had propelled the realisation of the developmental projects focused on by the indigenes.
Copyright PUNCH.
