President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed support for the constitutional role of traditional rulers across the country to ensure peace and security in their respective domains.
Tinubu who noted that the National Assembly was in the best position to work on it, said his administration will continue to give necessary support to all traditional rulers in the country.
Speaking during the 70th birthday celebration of Oba Victor Kiladejo, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, held at the Diocese of Ondo (Anglican Communion) Cathedral Church of St. Stephen in Ondo City, the president said the last 17 years of reign of Oba Koladejo, has been very peaceful.
Represented by the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, President Tinubu commended the Ondo Monarch for the giant strides recorded in terms of infrastructural and human capital development.
Tinubu urged everyone to keep supporting the traditional ruler in ensuring that there was peace and security while the kingdom continued to develop.
He said the Federal Government noted the support Oba Kiladejo lent to agencies, institutions, and government officials about the Oba’s community over the years.
While appreciating the commitment to extending the frontiers of development engagements which were coordinated in the traditional ruler’s domain, and his subjects both at home and abroad in the past years, Tinubu vividly recalled almost two decades ago when the Kabiyesi pulled out of his very successful private medical practice in Lagos.
The president said, “You pulled out to mount the throne of your forefathers, as the Ose awe and Paramount Ruler of the Ondo Kingdom.
“It is evident that 17 years on, your imperial majesty has filled that expansive office admirable, thus proving that the kingmaker of Ondo, obviously operating under divine inspiration, did not make a mistake in their unanimous choice of you as the next Osemawe in 2006.
“Today, no one needs to go too far to encounter the evidence of your impactful reign over the Ondo Ekimogun people. They are visible all over the community and touch practically all aspects of human endeavour.
“On a personal note, let me, once again, express my appreciation to you for the two letters of congratulations you so graciously sent to me upon my victory at the February polls, and later, my subsequent inauguration as President.
“I pray that the years ahead turn out to be much more remarkable, for you, your immediate family, and the good people of Ondo Kingdom, whom you have led so admirably these past 17 years. May your reign continue to be fruitful and prosperous.
“All I can wish is that this should continue and probably get better under the leadership of Kabiyesi as he continues to lead us in the right direction.”
In his congratulatory message, the Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, said the Ondo monarch’s counsel to his administration has been found invaluable development-focused.
Akeredolu said, “It is our earnest prayer that Your Majesty will continue to enjoy good health and divine wisdom in providing the much-needed leadership for Ondo Kingdom and Ondo State in general.
“It is my great pleasure to join other numerous Nigerians in wishing Your Majesty many more years of fruitful service to mankind.”
Oba Kiladejo, who appreciated Tinubu for attending his 70th birthday and 17th anniversary on the throne, commended the president for appointing Tunji-Ojo as one of his ministers, who he described as an outstanding performer.
He disclosed that he didn’t want to celebrate the birthday and the anniversary in a flamboyant manner, but his people insisted that they wanted to celebrate him.
Going down memory lane, the monarch described himself as a child of destiny.
He said he enjoyed uncommon love and support from his siblings when he was nominated to be the Osemawe of the Ondo Kingdom.
According to him, unlike what usually obtains in some ruling houses in African kingdoms where siblings killed one another to ascend the throne, his siblings rallied around him and chose him to be the king.
He said: “I am a child of destiny. My siblings all agreed that I should be the king when it was our turn. I would rather say that the style of upbringing given to us by our father was responsible for the great love among us his children.
“When we were growing up, we all came from the same bowl and the soup was put on the same plate. Our father said he wanted all of us to be swallowing one another’s saliva.
“That’s his style of raising his children and this paid off.”
The Paramount Ruler of Ondo Kingdom appreciated all his counterparts from different kingdoms, particularly in the Yoruba Kingdom, including Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, and several monarchs present.
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