Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr) Lekan Balogun Alli Okunmade II, has described Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State as an honest and straight-forward person.
The traditional ruler said this when he received the governor, who is also a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at his Alarere residence, Ibadan, earlier today.
Fayemi, who was on a consultation visit to the Olubadan, was received by members of Olubadan-in-Council, the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Dr. Kola Balogun, some notable baales and President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga.
Oba Balogun said the manner of delivery of the two-term governor and former Minister of Mines showed “the kind of person you are; your ideological orientation, your disdain for self-interest and pursuit of national interest.
“You have the capacity to contribute immensely to the growth and development of the country. You have been contributing to the country, you are honest and not given to telling lies, your pursuit of national interest is acknowledged and you spoke like a gentleman which truly you are.”
Oba Balogun asked the people “to consider him very seriously”, adding “rally round him, I beg you in the name of God. That’s the picture of him that I have. He’s a honest person, straight-forward, God is behind you. Thank you, my people.”
Fayemi, who is the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said he visited to pay obeisance to the Olubadan, having been unable to visit him since his coronation ceremony, last month and to seek for Olubadan’s counsel, prayer and support for his desire to contest the presidential election in 2023.
“Mine is not an ambition, but call to duty to build a better Nigeria. Though, our youths may want to give up on Nigeria, due to a lot of justifiable reasons, I believe Nigeria still worths fighting for. I don’t think Yoruba want to do away with Nigeria.
“What I believe we want is peace, progress and development of the country. That’s what our fathers clamour for. Yoruba believe in value of equity, justice and fairness. Yoruba don’t want to enslave others and they don’t want to be enslaved either.
“Having supported many in the past to get to the apogee, I consider it is time to look in our direction. We have sons and daughters who are imbued with all what it takes to give the country the desired leadership.
“I have been consulting and it was the consultation process that brought me before Your Imperial Majesty as the father of politicians.
“My position as the chairman of NGF has enabled me to know the country better. I have been consulting to let Nigerians know I have the capacity to address problem of national cohesion, insecurity and other challenges.
“We need people of capacity, competence and courage. There are a lot of people that have capacity and competence but lack courage. Yet, we need leader with courage with which to do what is right which may not be popular.
“Your Imperial Majesty, that’s my mission, to sit at Your Majesty’s feet as someone with experience, intellect and knowledge to listen to you for counseling and prayers. We want to give the country the desired leadership to justify our place in history and posterity,” Fayemi said.
The Ekiti State governor said the position of Ibadan in Yorubaland and Nigeria in general cannot be overemphasized, hence, the need for him to make the visit.
He added that this was coupled with the fact that “Ibadan has remained a home for me, because, aside the fact that my parents lived there and succeeded, I have always remained an Ibadan son.
“Though, after my primary school education at ICC, Agodi, I was taken to Ekiti for my secondary education, yet, on my return from the United Kingdom, I came back to Ibadan and live in Idi-Ishin till date. I followed all the big masquerades like Oloolu, Alapansanpa during my younger days,” he added.
President-General of the CCII, Prince Adeaga, in his remarks, restated the importance the Council attaches to the Olubadan stool which described as the inheritance from Ibadan forebears.
He said whoever attempts rubbishing the stool would face the wrath of the entire Ibadan through the Council which was said to be the umbrella body of over 400 clubs and associations, both at home and in the Diaspora.
“Whoever mounts the Olubadan stool has the backing of Almighty God and whatever the Olubadan says or wherever he goes is what or we will do or where we will go,” Prince Adeaga added.
