26th December, 2020
By Taiwo Okanlawon
Grand Council of Yoruba Youths has congratulated Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III and Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Alaafin of Oyo and Ooni of Ife as they clock 50 and 5 years respectively on the throne of their forefathers.
The group in a statement issued by its president, Comrade Awa Bamiji also condemned in strong terms the gruesome murder of Olufon of Ifon, Oba Isreal Adeusi.
Oba Adeusi was recently shot dead by unknown gunmen at Elegbeka, a few kilometers from Owo town, on his way from a meeting in Akure, the state capital.
Comrade Bamiji urged security agencies to investigate the murder of the monarch thoroughly and brought the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.
“It’s highly commendable that unlike before, your reigns in the last five years would be remembered for the joint campaign for unity among the traditional rulers both in and outside Yorubaland, and it’s on this note, we are assuring you of our continued support and cooperation,” the Council said.
“We felicitate with Alhaji Lai Muhammed @ 69 and Governor Hope Uzodinma @ 62, the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture and Governor of Imo State respectively,” the statement added.
The Council also congratulated the daughter of late Chief Bola Ige and Proprietress of Vale College, Iyaganku, Mrs Funsho Adegbola on her birthday.
“We rejoice with our ever dynamic Comrade, a former student unionist at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, former member, Oyo State House of Assembly (1999 – 2003), and current Oyo State Secretary of the All Progressives’ Party (APC), Hon Mojeed Olaoya, who turned 60 recently.
“We rejoice with one of our most outstanding leaders in the Civil Society, who is the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itsejuwa Sagay, as he turned 80 years old, as well as the Senator representing Lagos Central Senatorial District, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of the conferment of a Honourary Doctorate Degree of Human letters on her by the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos.
“We felicitate with the first Nigerian female Boeing 787 Pilot, and the first Nigerian female Pilot to fly Qatar Airways, Captain Adeola Ogunmola Sowemimo,” it said.
According to the youths, the painful exit of Ibadan born-billionaire, Chief Harry Akande, had left a vacuum too big for anyone to fill for the people of Ibadan and Oyo State at large.
“Sadly, Engr Oladipo Omotayo, who was the father-in-law to Peter Okoye, took a bow during a surgical operation recently.
“Omotayo contributed immensely to Senator Ayo Fasanmi’s successful tenure for decades as Afenifere leader and to the development of Yoruba nation. He was extremely loyal to the cause of Yorubaland.
“May God give the families of Oba Adeusi, Akande, Omotayo and the fortitude to bear these irreparable losses,” the Council said.