By Michael Peter, The Sight News
Abuja-Nigeria’s Vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is expected in Ile-Ife on Tuesday 17th October, 2017 as the Special Guest of Honour at a leadership symposium in honour of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II who will be marking his 43rd birthday.
Also expected to be there are the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State as the Host Governor.
According to a statement made available to The Sight News on Saturday by the Director of Media, Ooni’s Palace, Comrade Moses Olafare who spoke on behalf of the planning committee, the Ooni Annual International Leadership Symposium is designed to hold annually in commemoration of the Ooni’s birthday with view to providing a platform for the youths and other beneficiaries of his numerous empowerment schemes to showcase their success stories.
In his words, “Baba Ooni believes very strongly that celebration of the birthdays of people in leadership authorities must always be in recognition of their impactfulness. That’s why he decided this event as platform for success stories especially by the beneficiaries of his various categories of empowerment programs most whom are youths.
“Kabiyesi has designed this symposium to be annually held where great leaders who have made impacts in the society will motivationally be interacting with the people who look up to them.
“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Governor Ambode, Mr Femi Falana, Sultan of Sokoto, Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, the gentleman from South Africa, Mr Sipho Mseleku of Shakhumnotho Group and other great leaders expected at this maiden edition are role models the youths always look up to” Olafare said.
The statement mentioned the legal luminary and human rights activist,Chief Femi Falana as the Lead Speaker while Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos, the Ethiopian Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb.(Mrs)Samia Zekaria Gutu and Mr Sipho Mseleku from South Africa as guest speakers, while the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Eyitope Ogunmodede is a Co-Host.
It will be recalled that Ooni Ogunwusi had two years ago dedicated his reign to the African youths during his coronation as the 51st Ooni of Ife. He has since embarked on and executed various projects that are of immense impacts on the masses and youths in particular.
Comrade Olafare in the statement also confirmed the arrival of ex Super Eagle players such as Peter Rufai, Ike Sorounmu, Garba Lawal, Mutiu Adepoju, Taribo West, Ifeanyi Udese, Waheed Akanni, Gbenga Okunnowo, Oladimeji Lawal and others at Ile-Ife received on behalf of the Arole Oodua by the national team’s former coach who is a prominent indigene of Ifeland and Balogun of Modakeke, High Chief Festus Onigbinde for the novelty match to be played 3pm on Saturday at the sport complex of Obafemi Awolowo University organized by House of Oduduwa Foundation in honour of the African foremost monarch who is the Spiritual leader of the Yoruba race worldwide.
This year’s edition of Ooni Annual Leadership Symposium is themed “Taking Nigerian and Africa to Greater Heights, the Place of the Youth”.
