One of the highly respected monarchs in Ijebuland, who was part of the meeting confided in that they are not hungry monarchs who can be easily bought over with the President’s dollar, thus, decided on their stand before the meeting.
The royal father revealed that the President had before the visit sent an emissary to the Paramount ruler to discuss how he would like the meeting to go, a development that really pained Awujale.
[b]“A prominent Ijebu businessman, whom I don’t want to mention his name was sent to Awujale by the President to speak with him on how he will want the meeting to go and also to get a remarkable response from him. He believes that Awujale is a strong factor that can add weight to his ambition at the poll.
“This man met with Awujale on Wednesday, a day before the visit but Awujale angrily expressed his reservation to the middleman,” the royal father said.
The Oba noted that Awujale is blunt and straight forward monarch. “He told the man, whom he so loved, that he will never be part of such arrangements and warned him never to do such again.”
Awujale then asked the middleman: “How many President have you ever hosted in your life, even, with your riches and wealth? Are you now the one to teach me on how I should host the President or you think I am a stereotype or robot King. Never let such a thing happen again, else, you will not like what will happen next,” the monarch was quoted to have told the President emissary angrily.[/b]
Commenting on why they refused to take group photograph with Mr President, the monarch queried: “why the noise about group photograph, haven’t they got enough pictures during the meeting, after all, they took several pictures, is that not enough. So, what is so special or important about this group photograph?
“You can see how the picture taken at the Ooni’s palace gwent viral on the social media. Is that the kind of thing our own picture will turn to? Awujale is not like that, he is an institution of integrity, an authority and a symbol of culture and tradition. We respect our tradition and nothing should be done to soil it. If Mr ‘A’ does something, does that mean that Mr ‘B’ too must do it?
“Awujale has spoken our minds, we don’t campaign for any politician and President Jonathan is not exempted. Is he not a different person, are they not all the same. So, we have resolved to maintain our dignity and integrity. We are fathers to all, we should not be seen as playing partisan politics and that was what we have demonstrated,” the royal father said.
Another monarch, who is from Odogbolu local government expressed dissatisfaction with some of the utterances from both the President and some of his aides during the meeting.
The monarch, who pleaded anonymity exclusively revealed that the President either deliberately or tactically ignored some of their requests and was saying other things.
It would be recalled that the PDP Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, while speaking at the palace, recounted his youthful experience where he stated that Ijebu are stingy people, but was angrily corrected by Awujale, who said, “we are not stingy, but prudent in our spending.”
All the monarchs at the palace and other Ijebu sons and daughters at the palace were uncomfortable over the his joke.
Even, when Muazu was insisting while speaking that we will not leave here until we receives blessing, it was clear that his hosts were not happy with him over such embarrassing statements.
According to him, “We were worried when the President was reacting to the requests and address of Alayeluwa, Oba Awujale. In his address, he mentioned like four to five things and when the President wanted to react, he just flipped through them and was saying that he did roads, railway, agriculture, so, if re-elected, he will do more. ‘A n wi’ri,o nwi’ru’, meaning, we are saying this, he is saying another thing.
“Awujale spoke about not feeling the federal presence in Ijebuland, rescusitating the moribund Iwopin paper mill, Ijebu state and also on reimbursement of Governor Amosun on the construction of the Mobalufon flyover. We should have risen above partisan politics. That bridge is a landmark not for Ogun people alone but Nigerians as a whole, but instead of direct response, he was making political statement, forgetting that he is not at a campaign ground,” he revealed.
A Presidency source confirmed to our correspondent that they are now regretting their visitation to Ijebu Ode, especially, the following day when they read newspaper reports and saw the headlines which was not good for the President’s re-election bid.
Sources at the Presidency revealed that after the meeting with the royal father, President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP inner caucus were very angry with some of the party leaders from the state, who have made the Presidency believe that they are very popular in Ogun.
The source disclosed that during the analysis of the visit, one of the party leaders from the southwest, who was on the entourage said: “we would have got the endorsement if not for the stupid tale of the Chairman. Why should he be saying that Ijebus are stingy in front of their Obas, that’s too bad.
“He was even saying that we would not leave the palace until the monarch bless us. Is he forcing them or what. Something must be done to redeem ourselves because I know Awujale very well,” the party chieftain was quoted to have said.
A palace source also informed our correspondent that Awujale, since last Thursday visit of the President, has received over 500 text messages congratulating and commending him and other Ijebu monarchs on their actions.
The messages according to the source, are still pouring in.
It would be recalled that on February 21, President Jonathan, after inaugurating the Olorunsogo Power Plant 2, at Papalanto in Ewekoro local government area of Ogun state, held a private meeting with some prominent traditional rulers in the state.
At the meeting were the Akarigbo of Remoland and Chairman of the Ogun State Traditional Council, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo; Alake and the Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Adedotun Gbadebo, Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu, Olu of Itori, Oba Fatai Akamo, Oniro of Iro, Oba Adebari, Olu of Owode-Egba, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo and other traditional rulers, mostly from the Ogun Central Senatorial District.
Also, three weeks ago, the President was in Oyo State to visit the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Ajagungbade in their respective palaces.
On March 7, the President visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, in Ile-Ife, Osun State to seek the support of the monarch and other Osun monarchs for his re-election.
Apart from the Ooni, the Orangun of Oke-Ile, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, the Owamiran of Esa Oke, Oba Oba Adeyemi Adeniran, the Olufi of Gbongan, Oba Adetoyese Oyeniyi, Alowa of Ilowa, Oba Bukola Ali, the Olojudo of Ido- Osun, who is the Secretary, Board of Trustees, BoT National Council of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria, Oba Adedapo Aderemi and other monarchs from the entire Ile-Ife region were at the palace to receive the President.
The President, thereafter, proceeded to Ilesa, where he also met with the Owa Obokun and Paramount ruler of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran. Traditional rulers from Ijesaland were also present at the Owa’s palace to receive the President.
In Ekiti State, a similar scenario played out. Jonathan met Ekiti monarchs when he visited the state for the PDP campaign in January and about 50 traditional rulers were present at the meeting and the President took time to shake hands with all of them. Source |
