My mother’s core values on responsibility prepared me for leadership role ―Ooni

THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Saturday at Chatham House, in United Kingdom (UK) said his late mother’s core values on responsibility actually prepared him ahead first leadership roles in life as an individual and a traditional ruler.

He underscored the need for African youths to imbibe the spirit of responsibility and commitment to positive ideals, capable of enabling them to achieve individual growth and also contribute effectively to the development of the society.

According to a statement endorsed by Ooni’s director of media and public affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday, Oba Ogunwusi spoke on a topic “Inclusive Governance and Community Engagement: The Roles of Traditional Leaders” at a forum moderated by former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Bob Dewar, CMG.

The monarch recalled how a bungled errand given him by his late mother, Mrs Wuraola Ogunwusi, perfectly moulded him for a leadership role in life.

The statements read, “As a child, she would send me on errands. She, one day gave me her most valuable dress to iron. I plugged the pressing iron and went to play to come back and fulfil what she told me to do, not knowing the iron had become so hot that I got the dress burnt to the anger of my mother.”

“You will pay for this dearly, I will punish you well so you know what you have done every day you are punished. That was a dress I was saving in case the king requested to meet me. That phrase stuck in my brain. She had reserved a dress in case the king requested to meet her, this shows the recognition of kingship in Africa”

“The foremost African monarch admonished children to obey their elders and parents. He equally charged parents to respect the traditional leaders in the society, in line with African culture and traditions. The co-chairman of the Nigerian Council of Traditional Rulers also stated the involvement of traditional institutions in governance for a better tomorrow”.

“You cannot separate nature and human beings. We believe traditional leaders and institutions are key to nation building and human capital development. Traditional institutions based on my background are parts of the natural custodian of heritage and culture. We had ancient means of governance in the kingdoms.

“Before governance came into play, traditional rulers were the first to smelt iron basis of civilisation. The first to weave cotton started from mother continent in Nigeria and the entire Yoruba race have so many discoveries”, the statement quoted Ooni to have said, adding that “antiques and artefacts all over the world have shown that civilisation started from us. Traditional leaders excelled in everything we are today benefitting from. It was pioneered before the advent of modern day government”.

“A nation cannot grow without its heritage and the traditional culture of that nation. We have lost touch with a root, heritage and tradition. Before the advent of colonization, we had kingdoms across Africa. Colonialists had to go through the traditional leaders”.

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