Ooni’s deep sense of history, asset for Nigeria Unity – Onoh

President Bola Tinubu’s former campaign spokesman in the South East, Dr. Josef Onoh, has acknowledged the versatility of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, (the Ojaja II), describing him as an asset and a compendium necessary for achieving Nigeria’s unity. The Ooni had in many occasions given analogies of different […]

President Bola Tinubu’s former campaign spokesman in the South East, Dr. Josef Onoh, has acknowledged the versatility of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, (the Ojaja II), describing him as an asset and a compendium necessary for achieving Nigeria’s unity.

The Ooni had in many occasions given analogies of different cultural histories, particularly on the tie between the Igbo and Yoruba Nation, where he asserted that the Igbo has an ancient connections to Ile-Ife, the Yoruba cradle city, with evidence in the traditions and oral narratives.

The Ooni also recently received emissaries from Benin Kingdom who paid allegiance to his stool and acknowledged the relationship between the Yoruba and Benin kingdoms.

Onoh made the remark on Ooni in a message to mark the monarch’s golden jubilee birthday.

Onoh said that Ojaja II has in many respects built bridges across sections of Nigeria just within few years of his ascension to the throne at a young age, noting that the Ooni is a clear example of what youths can do with their age for the development of the country.

He said that the Ooni has continued to reach out to different segments of the society and across geopolitical divides, a feat Onoh said is a testament that the monarch was prepared for leadership even before he was crowned.

Onoh said, “How often it seems the Chief good to be born with a cheerful spirit… Like your Majesty, “good fortune accompanies you like a gift of God.”

“This gift which you have and we celebrate today… Is not an art, but an inspiration; for the past 50yrs.

“There is a divinity moving you, like the stone of Heraclea, you attract iron rings, but also imparts to them similar power of attracting other rings; your magnetic influence on men are like pieces of iron and rings suspended from one another so as to form a long chain: and all of them derive their power of suspension from you the original stone: and from these inspired persons a chain of other persons is suspended, who take the inspiration from them as you remain the magnetic chain that’s fixed to the revered throne of ife on which the fabric of oduduwa depends and the world celebrates.

“To me your not just my King, my true friend, my brother, confidant, godfather to my dear son and most of all family. You contributed to my success in life, I’ve benefited from your wise counsel, your continuous words of wisdom and inspiration that propelled me to aspire, your positive support and encouragement hence I celebrate you today beyond words.

“May the sun never set in your dominion. Happy birthday…”