The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has hailed Osun’s Governor Rauf Aregbesola for bequeathing a legacy of peaceful transition to the kingship stools in the state.
This was even as the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said his eight years administration is best described as foundation laying periods characterized by aggressive pursuit of development.
The Ooni made the assertion when Aregbesola took his inaugural campaign visit to the palace for royal blessings.
The first class monarch observed that in the past eight years, there hasn’t been acrimony or chieftaincy tussle that normally characterized the demise of one Oba and the succession to the throne of another.
Ooni attributed this seeming fluidity in succession to the Obaship throne in the state to Aregbesola’s neutrality in the process of selection a king in succession to the throne.
The revered monarch commended the Aregbesola’s administration for being committed and focused at taking the state to enviable height.
He charged those in the position of authority to see leadership positions as service to humanity and not an avenue to amass wealth.
Ooni called on the APC governorship candidate in the September 22 gubernatorial election in the state, Alhaji Gboyege Oyetola, to consolidate on the good legacies the Aregbesola’s administration has recorded when elected.
According to him, the Aregbesola administration has demonstrated a high sense of commitment to the advancement of traditional institutions in the state.
“The present administration has in no doubt bequeathed a worthy legacy in traditional institution as manifested in the process that led to my enthronement as Ooni.
“I can say this repeatedly that Governor Aregbesola did not interfere in the process that led to my selection and enthronement as Ooni as the state played a neutral role to ensure that the people’s will manifests”, Ooni added.
In his address, Aregbesola said what Osun needs at this critical moment is continuity of his administration’s six-point integral action plan.
He noted that his eight years has put Osun on the track of greatness for which it must not detract for it to reach the zenith of development and belong to comity of developed states.
Aregbesola said the best man for the continuation of his good works is the gubernatorial candidate of the APC.
Aregbesola said Oyetola’s era will usher-in a steady and continued pace of development which his administration has achieved.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the party’s governorship candidate to consolidate on the Godly legacies his administration had built, saying Oyetola was carefully selected to take the state to the promised land.
Aregbesola decribed Oyetola as a trustworthy, honest, loyal and truthful individual, who performed excellently well in his capacity as the Chief of Staff to the Governor, before he began to vie for the coveted governorship position.
He said Oyetola has justified his capacity and capability as a man of impeccable character and worthwhile personality who remains dogged and forthright to all policies that had impacted positively in the lives of the citizenry.
According to him, “we are not in doubt about Oyetola’s competence and ability. He is calm and much more reserved. He knows the job and he will serve our people. He will advance the development programme of our party.
“Our party resolved to present Oyetola as the worthy successor to me so as to advance the growth and development of the state for the betterment of all.
“Oyetola is much more reserved than Aregbesola as we joyfully and confidently to present him as our candidate”, Aregbesola added.
Gboyega Oyetola, who is the APC governorship candidate in the forthcoming governorship election, commended Aregbesola for laying a solid foundation on which his successor will build on without further stress.
He unveiled his election manifesto and promised to accelerate development in the state if elected, saying his administration would focus on all the six-point integral action plan of the Aregbesola administration.
Oyetola said his administration will prioritize the welfare of traditional rulers and as well work assiduously to advance traditional institution, culture and tourism.
He identified road infrastructure, education development, skill, technical and vocational education, health sector advancement, agricultural development among others as continuation of Aregbesola’s legacies.
Packaged by Rahman Salami
