Gani Adams charges S/West governors to unite towards social integration in region

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Adams, at the weekend charged all South West governors to work together in order to build a formidable business and social integration in the region.

Iba Gani Adams said this at the 2019 edition of Elegbara festival in Shasha Lagos.

He urged the governors to learn from the pace setting quality of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who as the Premier of the region, embarked on projects that had direct impact on the entire region.

Buhari orders OAGF to publish daily treasury statements

He said, “At a time like this, there should be a strong unifying synergy between the South West governors. This will help to create an enabling environment for the people.”

“For instance, during the days of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of the Western Region, there was both social and economic integrations.

“The entire region developed rapidly by becoming a model for other regions. At the time, South West set the pace while other regions followed.

“We can replicate the same idea by creating a regional integration policy direction for the development of the South West.

“For instance, Lagos State can be the centre for economic integration, while Oyo State becomes the cultural-tourism hub. Osun State has the potentials to be South West abode and Centre for history and strategic planning. Ogun State can handle the region’s information and research Centre. And Ekiti has the capacity to be the South West Centre for Agriculture, and Ondo, with its potentials as one of the oil-rich states, can be the technology hub for the South West,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Oba of Shasha, Oba Babatunde Ogunronbi, reiterated the need to support the leadership of the Olokun Festival Foundation, saying the foundation has been at the vanguard of promoting the cultural identity of the Yoruba race.

“All sons and daughters of Yoruba race have different complementary roles to play in the development of our culture and tradition. So what we are doing today is part of our roles as royal fathers and custodian of Yoruba culture and traditions. That is why we need to support the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland in ensuring that the Yoruba nation regains its pride of place in the world.”

The Yoruba leader also spoke about Elegbara as a prominent deity, insisting that the misconception about the deity needs to be corrected, adding that the Foundation under his leadership had really done its best in promoting the economy of Shasha town.

“We have exposed the tourism potentials of this town to the world. Annually, we inject several millions into the economy of this community and we can see the level of development in the town.

“So, by celebrating Elegbara, there’s need for us to clear the air on the myth and the reality surrounding the great deity. Elegbara is one unique deity that is saddled with great responsibilities.

“For instance, in Yoruba land, Elegbara is usually visible across all the communities. You see the shrines in the palaces, markets and across all the communities. Even, at the motor parks, Elegbara is always visible.

“For instance, in Lagos, Ojuelegba in Surulere was formerly known as “Ojubo Elegbara,” meaning Elegbara’s shrine. But it was later shorten to “Oju Elegba,” Aare Adams declared.