Recession: Buhari will deliver as promised, says Alaafin

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari has shown his capability to the entire world as a man who is capable and ready to liberate the country from her myriads of challenges of corruption, insecurity, poverty, poor infrastructure, unemployment, poor education system among others, that had ravaged and stunted its socio-political and economic growth and development.
Fielding questions from reporters in his palace shortly after the Eid-el-Kabir prayer held at Agunpopo praying ground, Oba Adeyemi stated that Buhari has proved to the world that corruption was an alien and epidemic disease to Nigeria and Africa in general and as such, must be totally eradicated.
“Buhari has proved his prowess and administrative acumen to tackle all the challenges facing our country, most especially in the areas of corruption, liquidated economy, unemployment, epileptic electricity and insecurity. Buhari has brought transparency, honesty, fairness, justice, peace, credibility and openness to governance and he has
proven to Nigerians and the entire world that without leadership by example, no nation can succeed, because he is an agent of change whose exemplary leadership quality is highly immeasurable and inimitable”.
While soliciting for patience, tolerance and unalloyed support of all Nigerians in transforming the country and fixing the economy from its present recession, the paramount ruler also cautioned against acts that are inimical to unity and stability of the country.
Alaafin also noted that while other great nations celebrate their heroes showcasing their glorious past, Africans do not give much reference to theirs just because of the super-imposition of the two religions, Islam and Christianity, and
the etching of their sermons and creeds
He argued that the polluted consciousness of Africans’ psyche have conditioned their sense of appreciation and thinking, thereby making them see and read fetishism
and primitivity as the hallmark of their tradition and culture.
“It is within this prism that we used to picture our past heroes and great men of valour and virtues who should be venerated, immortalised while their deeds, acts and wise sayings compiled, documented, reserved and preserved for generations yet unborn.”
Oba Adeyemi revealed that the annual Oranyan Festival “is one of the steps being taken by the Alaafin in-Council at making sure that the contribution of the Yoruba to the emergence of modern and cosmopolitan world is not relegated into the background ocean of forgetfulness”.
Oba Adeyemi pointed out that the celebration “was not only to celebrate and venerate our heroes past, but lubricate the tunnels of harmony, ignite the touch of unity and foster peace among the Yoruba race’’.
He explained that “the Oranyan Festival was inaugurated to
immortalise and showcase to the whole world the deeds and worth of an enigmatic Oranyan, one of the seven sons of Okanbi, the son of Oduduwa who was the “first Oba in Yorubaland to establish an enduring empire which spread beyond its dialectical region and lasted more than 600
uninterrupted years’’.
Oranyan, Alaafin asserted, “is a pride to the whole Yoruba race. He was an embodiment and platform builder of what makes the Yoruba who they are. We are going to showcase the culture, heritage, values and resuscitate those norms that continue to make Yoruba race a unique.”
Oba Adeyemi also urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to
return home to their fatherland and share or contribute with the growth of their country.
He noted that some Nigerians are really answering the call while some of those in the diaspora are still arming themselves with the necessary tools that are required to effect such positive change in their country .
“There are still others who have relegated Nigeria to the background as a secondary society that may not even be returned to or even visited again. The latter category includes critics and believers in the barrage of negative criticism against Nigeria and Nigerians. It is supposed to be a free world, each individual entitled to decide the priority of his own national, political or societal allegiance. Yet, it must be maintained that there is quite a substantial good side to the story of Nigeria and Nigerians, notwithstanding the barrage of incidents that continue to smear the prestige and integrity of our great country”.