PMB,OMOLE AND KALU CONGRATULATES NEW OONI AS HE ARRIVES IFE

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on
Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who emerged as
the 51st Ooni of Ife and successor to the late Oba
Okunade Sijuwade, to use his office and position
to promote peace not only in Yorubaland but
throughout Nigeria.
Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, rejoiced
with Adeyeye on his declaration as Ooni elect by the
kingmakers of Ife after a keenly contested but
peaceful selection process and confirmation
yesterday by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun
State.
As he prepared to begin the rites of ascension to
the revered throne of his great ancestors, Buhari
urged the Ooni-designate to commit himself to
carrying all his subjects along to a new era of
peace, stability and progress in Ife, Yorubaland
and Nigeria as a whole.
The president called on Adeyeye to be prepared
to put his new position as Ooni and principal
custodian of the rich cultural heritage and
traditions of the Yorubas to good use in the
service of his people and country.
Buhari also called on the Ooni-designate to
dedicate himself to building on, and surpassing
the worthy legacies of his much-acclaimed
predecessor, Oba Sijuwade, and working with
government and other traditional rulers across
the country to foster greater harmony, peaceful
co-existence and faster socio-economic
development of his people and all Nigerians.
The president wished the new Ooni a long and
highly successful reign in the service of his people
and country.
However, authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo
University Ile-Ife congratulated the indigenes and
the people of Ile-Ife on the emergence of the new
Ooni of Ife, Ogunwusi.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the
University, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that the
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bamitale Omole, who
expressed happiness at the emergence of the
new Ooni, urged the new monarch to use his
wealth of experience in the business world to
uplift the ancient city of Ile-Ife industrially so that
the teeming youths in the land would be gainfully
employed.
Omole, who wrote on behalf of the Governing
Council, Senate, staff, students and the entire
university community to heartily felicitate with
the new king, who is the 51st Ooni of the ancient
city of Ile-Ife, charged every resident of Ife to rally
round the new monarch in order to make Ife a
domain of the international community culturally
and traditionally.
The vice chancellor said: "No doubt, your track
record of unprecedented achievements in the
business world, your humility, candour, level-
headedness and your avowed commitment to
better the lot of the less privileged in the society
are a great pointer that your reign would bring
unparallel socio-economic developments to the
entire Ife land.
He, therefore, urged the Kabiyesi not to hesitate
in informing the university management on the
role to play in making his coronation a
grandiloquent success.
The vice chancellor then prayed that the Almighty
God would grant the new king more wisdom,
knowledge, understanding and sound health to
further project the cultural and traditional image
of Ile-Ife and the entire Yoruba race to the whole
world.
Similarly, former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji
Uzor Kalu, has congratulated the Ooni-designate,
Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on his appointment,
noting that the new monarch's personality is an
embodiment of royalty.
He described the Ife traditional institution as a
rallying and reference point for the Yoruba
nation. In a statement by his Special Adviser,
Prince Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said: "Considering
the exalted stool of the Ooni of Ife, the choice of
Prince Ogunwusi did not come as a surprise as his
profile speaks volumes. I wish to convey my
heartfelt greetings to the new monarch and his
family on this milestone.
The former governor described the new
monarch's ascension to the revered stool as
divine, adding that the people of Ile-Ife will
benefit immensely from the selfless service of the
Ooni-designate.
He called on all sons and daughters of Ile-Ife at
home and abroad to co-operate with the new
royal father in taking the ancient town to the
promisedland.
Kalu, while congratulating the people and
government of Osun State and the Ife Traditional
Council, prayed God to grant the new monarch
long life and prosperity on the throne of his
forefathers.
Meanwhile, the new Ooni will today arrive Ile-Ife
and proceed to the family house in the town and
later to where traditional rites would be
administered on him for the next three months
before the final installation.