President Tinubu also invited Soun to private dinner (MORE PHOTOS)

President Tinubu also invited Soun to private dinner (MORE PHOTOS)

Yinka ADETUNJI

More news have continued to emerge on the visit of the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR Tuesday in Abuja.

After the meeting in which Oba Olaoye extracted the assurance of the President to facilitate the completion of the 132kv power substation in Ogbomoso, reviltalize potable water supply, explore the agricultural potentials of the zone among others, the co-chairman of the Oyo State Traditional Council was subsequently invited to a private dinner at the residence of the President also attended by the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Nigeria’s first family with the Soun of Ogbomosoland

Soun with some of eminent personalities in his entourage

In a majestic pose

I am well pleased with Your Excellency, l am well pleased with Your Imperial Majesy too

From right: Soun, Areago, Alajaawa, Orisatolu

Soun with Prof Adepoju

The Soun ogbomosoinsightonlinem.com reported was accompanied on the highpower visit by the Areago of Ogbomosoland, High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin; the Iyalode, High Chief Oluwakemi Ogundare; Alajaawa of Ajaawa, HRM Oba Thompson Adeyeye Oyetunji; Alapa of Okin-Apa, HRM Oba Prof John Akinola Akintola; Aale of Okelerin HRM Oba Samuel Babatunde Amao; and the Orisatolu of Isapa Kingdom HRM Oba Ezekiel Bolarinwa Olajide.

Others were Alhaji Abdulganiyu Atanda Owodunni (Aare Musulumi of Ogbomosoland), Professor Adeshola Adepoju (immediate past Executive Director of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria FRIN), Chief Tunji Olaniyi, a businessman.

President Tinubu emphatically affirmed he would look into the requests tabled before him by the Oba including the energization of the 132KVA located at Ajeja/Temidire along Iresapa road, which was started about two decades ago, provision of potable water through the Ministry of Water Resources, and harnessing of the highly-rated and sought-after Ogbomoso mango and cashew nuts through which he admitted Nigeria could achieve some measure of self-sufficiency among others.

Soun earlier commended the President for his “bold reforms” noting Nigeria, based on the reforms, is surely on the path of redemption.

The monarch particularly pointed at the removal of fuel subsidy by President Tinubu, a policy he admitted was tough on Nigerians at the beginning but now yielding results. He also lauded the unification of the FX rate, the black and parallel markets, noting what previous presidents avoided Tinubu confronted headlong and boldly.

Soun was loud in lauding the President for his incredible strides, which noted, “only a bold leader could have recorded. Removing fuel subsidy has shown us that it is the right decision, and we can see the effects.”

The monarch, who also lauded the President for awarding the contract for the dualization of the Oyo-Ogbomosho road, which had been abandoned for decades, pointing out that the road would spur economic activities as a significant gateway to the North, made other “heartfelt” requests including the upgrading of the General Hospital in the city into a Federal Medical Centre, as well as the establishment of a research institute to enhance the development and transformation of the famous ‘Ogbomoso mangoes and cashew nuts’ into a viable agricultural enterprise, provision of commercial boreholes in surrounding towns, dualization of the main trunk A road in Ogbomoso metropolis to open up commercial activities in the city and appointment of more Ogbomoso persons into government.

The NELFUND programme for indigent students in higher institutions, and other programmes, were also highlighted by the Oba, drawing applause from the audience. These obviously gladdened the President, who consequently thanked Oba Olaoye for crediting his administration with such.

The President unequivocally took credit for the positive results of his policies maintaining that the country’s economy is now stable and attracting interest from around the world.

President Tinubu said, ” Years of neglect and self-deception, fake records, smuggling, and all of that denied Nigeria the necessary revenue for progress and development.

“Then we were confronted again with arbitrage trading of currency, an illusion of selling papers, corruption all over the place, and the integrity of the country and its economy being extremely and adversely challenged.

“We had to take those actions. With your prayers, patience, perseverance and great understanding, I’m glad to tell you today that the economy is stabilised. The bleeding has stopped. Haemorrhage is gone; the patient is alive.”

The President also said the establishment of NELFUND was to ensure that no student would drop out because of poverty.

He affirmed that everybody has a right to education as it is the “greatest weapon you can give to human beings against poverty; that’s what we are doing. We have remained aggressive on our infrastructure. And it’s just two years.”

Applauding Oba whom he claimed he had known for long he submitted gleefully that the people of Ogbomosoland were already feeling the “modernisation and transformation introduced by the monarch.”