The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, alongside two members, Hon. Yusuf Oladeni Adebisi and Hon. Owolabi Olusola have been honoured with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Royal African Medal Award.
The award ceremony, which was held at Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State was organized by the Royal African Young Leadership Forum, an initiative of His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja the second.
The Speaker, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin and other awardees through the award have been inducted into the prestigious Royal Court for their outstanding feats in their chosen careers.
The award presentation was honoured by the Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare and the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Fahad Obaid Mohammed Al- Taffaq.
Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi expressed that Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin was specifically chosen and honored for his amazing governance and leadership qualities and acumen as well as for being a good representative of millions of young Nigerians home and abroad.
The first class monarch noted that the emergence of Hon. Ogundoyin as one of the youngest Speakers in the political landscape of the country and others like him has changed the narrative of politics in the country.
According to him “It is gratifying that a new spirit of governance, leadership, creativity and entrepreneurship is evolving. Sincerely, this is the Africa of the Future. Our continent has perhaps, one of the highest population of young people and we are poised to tap into their relentless spirit, unquenchable energies and ambition through various spectrums for the overall growth of our nation.”
While appreciating the honor bestowed on him by the Royal African Young Leadership Forum of the Ooni of Ife, Hon. Ogundoyin explained that the initiative of His Imperial Majesty was another timely impetus, which will further help and strengthen him in navigating the political terrain of Nigeria and changing the narrative of governance in the country.
The Speaker noted that honoring one hundred Nigerian youths was another testament and demonstration of the resolve of the Ooni of Ife to use his royal office to redefine and repackage Africa to the world civilization, governance, leadership, and culture.
His words, “This honor will inspire me and millions of youths in my category who are future generations of our nation not to be discouraged in the task of transforming, reconstructing and recreating a new social, economic and political frontier for Nigeria, so that we can take and occupy our rightful position as the giant of Africa.
“I am dedicating this award to the teeming African youths who are bubbling with requisite skills and abundant knowledge to change the world, the youth in Nigeria especially those who benefitted from the Not Too Young to Run Act, the good people of Oyo state, my constituency and the Oyo state government in particular.”
He used the opportunity to challenge other youths in the country to bring out the potentials in them so that they not only lend their voices to issues in the country but they also take up leadership positions and roles which will further help them to be relevant in the scheme of things.
Packaged by Kunle Gazali
