By ISAAC OLUSESI

The stellar performances on the throne by His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife, in Osun State, have had salutary impact on the politics, economy and culture of the ancient city of Ile-Ife, the ancestral and spiritual home of the Yoruba race, Dr Thomas Olaleye Ogungbangbe has said.

The remarks, contained in a goodwill message to the Ooni on his 50th birthday, further stated that the dynamic expansion of peace, unity and progress of Ifeland is the direct effect of the industry and vibrancy of Ojaja II, full of energy, life and brightness that have continued to re- energize the aura, candour, opulence and stamina of the sacred Ife throne.

The development, Ogungbangbe said, sprouts like-mindedness among the many, well rooted Ife traditional institutions with vital responsibilities for public safety and amity, balanced religious and secular affairs, and compatibility of customary legislation and administration of justice for the total well being of Ile Ife, its adjoining towns and settlements.

Ogungbangbe, business executive and seasoned administrator who’s also the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) CITA ENERGIES noted that the sensitivities of the Ooni to the exclusive prerequisites for the equilibrium of the eminently aristocratic Ile- Ife and its abundant natural resources strike the requisite synergy between the good looking Ooni of Ife and the old lieutenants, both side as one, ever resonance to the Ife inspirations, aspirations in the right direction with the industrial footprints massively on-going in the land.

The heir apparent to the Ajagbusi Ekun royal house, Iloko Ijesa in Oriade local government council area of the state, insisted, “everyone of us, the Yoruba, is proud and high in the royal birthday mood of the Ooni of Ife, in the month of October,” adding, “I respectfully wish the Ooni of Ife and Arole Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race very many happy returns of his birthday, as he continues on the throne, the hallowed of his forefathers, to navigate the traditional governance and modern administration of the Yoruba at home and in the Diaspora.

“The revitalization of mining and tourism, agriculture and industrialization, real estate and sports, and cultural values and practices in Ifeland, and
pointedly, the recent iconic projects including the state- of -the -art student hostel and pavilion, 2.7km road with glowing street solar lamps, golden full human statue of the nation’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, such other projects in Ife, all as donated by the Ojaja II, marking his birthday anniversary are a selfless desire of the Ooni, the symbol of his influence in the Ifeland, the sacred cradle of the Yoruba.”

Prince Ogungbangbe, in a continental discourse, not long ago, on the Yoruba traditional institutions with participants from the Yoruba speaking Cuba, Brazil, Togo, Benin Republic, S/Leone, and Oyotunji African village, South Carolina, USA, described Ojaja II as an accomplished private sector property magnate with the sector’s transparency and accountability incorporated in him.

In the discussion, he noted the Ooni of Ife cognate experience has exposed the Ife economy, politics and society to modernity in significant respects, also with the extant empowerment programmes, other opportunities invested in the Ife emerging generations, laudable at giving Ifeland the desired facelifts, with positive exertion on the entire Yoruba nation and humanity.

Ogungbangbe, a politician and high wheel chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Ife/Ijesa axis of Osun, opined that the erstwhile dysfunctional wranglings among the Yoruba traditional rulers, with implications, unwholesome for the Yoruba holistic growth and development won’t have a place with the present day collective agenda and the socio-political leadership being provided in the Ooni of Ife, Ojaja II, striving at all times to restore the lost glory of the Yoruba people.

OLUSESI writes via [email protected]