‘See Your Victory As Opportunity To Serve, Unite Nigerians For Greatness’, Yoruba Obas Rejoice With Tinubu

Yoruba traditional rulers under the aegis of the Yoruba Obas Forum rose from their emergency meeting on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State, congratulating Nigeria’s president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his resounding victory at the just concluded general elections.

The Yoruba Obas Forum, described Tinubu’s emergence at the keenly contested polls as a victory for generality of the people of the federation.

They further said Tinubu’s vast experience in the organised private sector, his dexterity in managing a hugely populated cosmopolitan state like Lagos, his struggle along with others to achieve today’s democracy that we all enjoy will go a long way to make his presidency a success.

These Yoruba Obas who cut across all South West states and some North Central states, enjoined the President-elect of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his Vice, Kashim Shettima to see their victory as opportunity to serve and most importantly, unite the nation for greatness.

According to the Administrator of the Forum who is the Elerinmo of Erinmo, Oba (Dr) Michael Odunayo Ajayi JP, the Molokun of Atijere who is the President of the Forum, Oba Samuel O. Adeoye and the General Secretary of the Forum who is also the Olukotun of Ikotun-Ile, Oba. Dr. Abdulrasaq Adebayo Abioye, the Obas charged the president-elect to be magnanimous in victory by constituting a collective government of national unity while calling on other presidential candidates who lost the election to rally round the president-elect for the speedy development of the country.

“We call on those who lost in the elections to accept the outcome in good fate, put any differences aside and join hands with the winners for the overall benefit of the country”.

The Obas also called on Nigeria’s teeming youths not to allow themselves to be used by those who do not sincerely have the interest of the country at heart to cause any problem as the well being of Nigeria and Nigerians is more pertinent than the ambition of anyone.

“We commend President Buhari, the Chairman of INEC for their steadfastness in ensuring a fairly good election where many lost their strongholds. Democracy is a journey not a destination.

“We Yoruba Obas also want to call on the President – elect to consider giving constitutional roles to traditional rulers in the country which we believe would go a long way to bring the dividends of democracy closer to the rural areas and also in curbing insecurity in the country as we are the Chief Security Officers of our various domain”.

The Yoruba Obas Forum which is a registered forum of hundreds of Obas in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo and Kogi states was set up to promote and protect the interest of the Yoruba traditional institution as well as the interest of all Yorubas while pushing for the long overdue recognition of monarchs in the Nigerian constitution and giving them roles as this will go a long way to ease the stress on governments, bring developments closer to the people at grassroots level and bridge failure gaps.

Other Obas at the emergency meeting held at Ibadan includes, Forum PRO and Alayandelu of Odo-Ayandelu, Oba (Bldr) Asunmo Ganiyu Aderibigbe, the Forum’s Financial Secretary and Olasole of Lasole, Oba Dairo Jacob Olufayo, the Olujumu of Ijumu Kingdom, Oba Williams Olusegun Ayeni, the Ologijo of Ogijo, Oba Kazeem Gbadamosi, the Onilekki of Lekki, Oba Liasim Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun, the Alagbado of Agbado, Oba Adedayo Shyllon Sogbulu, the Onirokun of Irokun Kingdom, Oba Buari Olayinka Balogun, the Onigode of Igode Kingdom, Oba Jamiu Olalekan Sule-Onosipe, FICMC, Aare of Ago Are land, Oba Dr Kofoworola Abodunrin Oyetunji Olakanla, Treasurer of the Forum.