Top Osun Oba Sings for Obasanjo at 85, Says His Contributions to Nigeria, Africa Incomparable

By Damola Emmanuel

A top-rated monarch in the Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba (Dr) Michael Odunayo Ajayi, Arowotawaya II, has felicitated with former President Olusegun Obasanjo who celebrated his 85^th birthday on Friday.

In a moving eulogy on the former President, the Royal Father recalled the many landmark contributions of Obasanjo to Nigeria, Africa and humanity, and declared that he (the former President) belonged to that rare class of leaders who committed their entire lives to the emancipation of their people from poverty, ignorance, diseases, bad governance, and sundry other problems that stall progress.

“Baba Obasanjo is a special specie of human being,” Oba Ajayi declared. “He is a rarely-seen icon, a living legend of monumental proportions whose impact on his people and humanity in general is indelible.”

In the eulogy, which The Crest got, the royal father recounted the heroic roles President Obasanjo played, still playing in entrenching accountable and responsible leadership in the country, and described him as a huge blessing to Nigeria.

The auspicious occasion of Obasanjo’s 85^th birthday, the Arowotawaya II maintained, offered a unique opportunity to Nigerians to “reflect on President Obasanjo’s invaluable roles and contributions to the unity and cohesion of Nigeria, the brotherhood of all Africans, as well as peace and amity all over the globe.”

Describing Obasanjo as “a symbol of divine grace”, the traditional ruler applauded the former President for his “strong belief in the indivisibility of Nigeria”, noting that he (Obasanjo) had never wavered in sticking out his neck for causes that promote the socio-political and economic well-being of the country since he left office in 2007.

Oba Ajayi recalled his relationship with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo which he said dated back to over two decades. The top-class traditional ruler said his path crossed that of the former President during his tenure as the Founding President of Forum of Nigerian Professionals in Ghana (a body of top bankers, business executives, lecturers and other professionals who lived and worked in the West African country as expatriates); and as the pioneer Director General of the Ghana-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Arowotawaya II also recounted the tremendous support Obasanjo gave him as the promoter and organiser of the annual Ghana-Togo-Benin -Nigeria Business Summit which he (Obasanjo) and other ECOWAS Presidents chaired at various times.

“At 85, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has clearly etched his name in the sands of time and has become the conscience of Nigeria,” Oba Ajayi concluded his felicitation with the former President. “He is a great Father of our Nation. He deserves every honour, every celebration our country can give him on this great occasion of his 85th birthday.

“I pray for renewed strength, protection, favour, mercy and more grace to Baba Obasanjo to continue his divinely-ordained service to humanity. Happy birthday sir.”