Oluwatosin Enesi
This is part of the activities to mark the 90th birthday and 64th Coronation Anniversary of the monarch.
The Chairman Planning Committee for the dual celebration, Dr. Adekunle Hassan, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the programmes lined up to celebrate the revered traditional ruler.
Hassan explained that the President will also witness a book presentation titled “Reinventing Governance in Nigeria”, as part of the celebration.
The multi-billion naira iconic project was donated by the monarch to provide Governance Studies in diploma, masters and PhD levels in the institution.
Hassan said, “To AwujaleAdetona, good governance is the key to the emancipation of the society and the development of the country. Good governance is a sine qua non for the march and advancement of our socio-economic, political, educational and technological growth and development is the oft-repeated declaration of the monarch.
“He (Awujale) feels good governance has eluded the nation and he is therefore, poised to reverse the trend or stem the tide through the professorial chair he endowed on governance, and research and studies on governance.
“His commitment to education is unassailable. His contributions to education is equally legendary.
“He fought for the retention of Tai Solarin University of Education when a past administration mooted the idea of crapping the institution which is the first university of education in the country.
Hassan said that a Jum’at Service holds at the Ijebu Ode Central Mosque, which will be followed by a Thanksgiving Church Service at the Cathedral Church of Our Saviour, Itaolowajoda, Ijebu Ode.
He said, ” On Friday, May 10, the exact date of his 90th birthday, he will be playing host to the President of the country, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu and numerous countrymen and women at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye.
“The president will witness 2024 edition of the Annual Oba Adetona Professorial Chair Lecture on Governance and a documentary on the legendary traditional ruler.
“The grand finale holds on Saturday, May 11 when the Ijebu nation would be hosting a civic reception in honour of their King who is the Ijebu deity at the Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu Ode,” he said.
Hassan, who described the Awujale as a patriot and nationalist of the highest order, said that he was officially crowned on April 2, 1960, as the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.
He noted that Adetona represented the totality of the worthy ancestral heritage of a people that had carved a niche for themselves in governance.
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