Nigerians have been advised to rally round their traditional rulers for rapid development of their communities.
A prominent automobile merchant and industrialist, Sir Moses Oluremi Adewakun, who made this call in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, said the era of traditional rulers being passive in terms of community development had become a thing of the past.
Speaking in his capacity as the president-general of Ile-Oluji National Union (INU) during the union’s national conference, Chief Adewakun urged the community to give massive support to the Jegun Olu-Ekun of Ile-Oluji Kingdom, Oba Julius Oluwole Olufaderin, whom he described as a progressive monarch.
Adewakun, who is also the Salaja of Ile-Oluji, said the recent first coronation anniversary of the monarch which attracted the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and other high profile traditional rulers to the town was an indication that the community was moving forward.
“Ile-Oluji Kingdom has never had it so good,” he said. “We have every cause to thank God for all these bountiful developments and pray for peaceful and highly rewarding reign of our new Monarch.”
The octogenarian added: “Our new Monarch needs and requires the unalloyed support and cooperation of all of us which we all should extend to him. It is crystal clear that our new Monarch is a symbol of peace and unity, judging by his development initiatives.
“Our respected Oba has shown the way forward and it is my pleasure and advice to implore all our chapters and branches in our districts to gird your loins and give unqualified support to the development initiatives of our community and cooperate both financially and morally to the rapid growth of our ancestral home at all times.”
He called on the Ondo State Government and the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government to rehabilitate the community’s township roads which he said are in a terrible state of disrepair. He mentioned in particular the Gesinde Road linking St. Peter’s Cathedral with Ondo Road which he said had been in a state of complete disrepair for over five years.
On electricity supply to Bamikemo, the second largest town in Ile-Oluji Kingdom, Adewakun said the community had been denied electricity supply for quite a long time.
“It is a lot of pain for this town to be in prolonged darkness,” he said, adding that prompt action be taken by the electricity authorities to remedy this crisis.
The INU national conference which was attended by delegates from the various chapters took place at Ile-Oluji Town Hall, Idi Omo Area, Ile-Oluji.
