Billionaire businessman, Chief Kessington Adebutu, popularly known as Baba Ijebu, has promised to ensure better understanding and cooperation among the obas in Yoruba Land, saying this would be accomplished as part of tasks he is setting for himself as the new Odole of Ife.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, a few days ago announced Chief Kessington, a philanthropist of repute, as the new Odole of the source, with the official coronation slated to hold on October 19, 2019, in Ife where dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria would be in attendance.
The first Odole, according to records was the Oranmiyan, while the sage and former Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo was no 2, followed by the late Chief GOK Ajayi.
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The founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Premier Lotto gave this pledge on Thursday while fielding questions from newsmen in Ikoyi residence, assuring that giving the closeness he enjoyed with the majority of the monarchs in the land, achieving such feat would not be difficult for him.
“Without being proud, a lot of kabiyesis are my friends, if you had noticed all the events I organise, a lot of kabiyesis are always present. Even before I was given this chieftaincy title, I have been taking steps based on the power given to me by God, to see that collaboration exists among the Yoruba obas.
“For example, right now when the issue of our son (Vice President Yemi Osinbajo) happened, I called kabiyesi, the Ooni of Ife, I called the Alake, the Akarigbo and other obas.
“If you notice, in Lagos, I am the Asojuoba. I am not from Lagos, am I from Lagos? If there had not been a good rapport between Oba Akiolu and me, he couldn’t have made me Asojuoba of Lagos.
“All these have shown that I have a good rapport with all the obas in Yoruba land,” he said.
The elder statesman, who would be coronated as the 4th Odole, urged the youth to be dedicated and work hard to attain their goals, contending that success cannot be achieved without such virtues.
“My advice for the youth, I have said it more than 100 times. Nigerian youths don’t want to crawl. I have warned them, sent messages to them. It is not possible. Youths of nowadays, they want to run,” Chief Kessington said, recalling that he became a success by dint of hard work and having to travel all over Nigeria, denying himself some comfort, to establish in many states of the federation.
He equally charged parents to drum it into the hearing of their wards that “they have to crawl before they can walk,” adding that there was no short cut to success.