Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
At the sidelines of the commissioning of the Olorunsogo Power Plant in Ogun State Friday, President Goodluck Jonathan held a short meeting with some traditional rulers from the state.
The monarchs were led by the Akarigbo of Remoland and Chairman of the Ogun State Traditional Council,Oba Michael Sonariwo, Alake of Egbaland,Oba (Dr.) Aremu Adedotun Gbadebo,Olowu of Owu,Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu,Olu of Itori,Oba Fatai Akamo, Oniro of Iro,Oba Adebari,Olu of Owode- Egba, Oba Sowemimo and other traditional rulers,mostly from the Ogun Central Senatorial District.
Feelers from the meeting said several monarchs raised the various attacks on the former Nigerian President,Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, after he announced his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Ogun monarchs told the President to caution his aides to cease further media attacks on Obasanjo.
One monarch frowned at the impromptu meeting,which he regarded a disrespect to the royal class:”we must be respected because we are not politicians and cannot just be summoned into a meeting without prior notice. Also,we down here always respect elders,we don’t say because of politics,one will not know his elders.”
After the meeting, the Obas tried to show their displeasure when some of them reluctantly took photographs with President Jonathan.
The meeting with the Obas was attended by the former governor of the State, Gbenga Daniel, his former deputy, Alhaja Salmot Badru, Minister of Power,Prof. Chinedu Nebo,his Culture and Tourism counterpart,who is also in charge of Information Ministry,Chief Edem Duke,former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Titi Oseni – Sodunke,Senior Special Assistant,SSA to the President on Public Affairs,Doyin Okupe,Chief of Staff to the President,Brig. General Jones Arogbofa,Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State,Peter Obi,former governor of Anambra State, the PDP Governorship candidate in the State,Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka,GNI, Mr James Abiodun Olotu,MD/CEO, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited among others.
President Jonathan while at the meeting canvassed for support for his re- election and that of other PDP candidates in the State.
Also,it was gathered that the governorship candidate in the State,Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, strongly appealed to the monarchs to support his candidature as he promised to improve their welfare package if elected into the office.
President Goodluck Jonathan at the commissioning had commended the people of the State for creating an enabling environment for the project, which was started by the Obasanjo administration.
“I must commend all our people from Ogun State especially, people from the catchment areas, the trading leaders, the youth leaders, the women leaders for creating the enabling environment for this project to go on to this level that we are here today commissioning. This is your project and we shall expect your continued cooperation in safeguarding it.
“With the support we are getting from our traditional rulers, religious and youth leader, community and women leaders, we will get to where we want to go. I am pleased that I have lived up to my campaign pledges to make power sector reform a priority and a reality.
“This agenda has ushered in new capital investment and would continue to boost more investment opportunities for the private sector players, widening the horizon of our transformation agenda through the multiplier effects.
“I urge you all to support the federal government. This is the way we can improve electricity services to the entire country,”Jonathan said.
“We are also thinking about the very unpopular one, the issue of energy from atomic sources which we are working on very hard. Of course, international agencies and companies would always control you because of the implications of developing that sector. And of course, the renewed sources the Honourable Minister mentioned, the solar, that is abundant especially in the northern part of the country. We have all these potential and if we can annex all these and make sure that we get power supply to stimulate the growth of our micro enterprises.
“We are lucky as a nation because we have gas, so the mega companies and the big companies don’t depend on the national grid. They buy the gas and generate their own power but without a stable power supply. Small businesses can not survive, they can not survive by buying small generators and buying fuel and sometimes, there are hazards leading to death or destruction of properties,”the President submitted.
View Comments (19)
So somebody use rope tied on their neck to drag them to the meeting or they all went there to share from the booty.
The corruption and lack of self esteem inherent in the Yoruba culture and which has its roots in the decadent principle of "dobale' or prostration whereby one human being denigrates himself to gratiate another is not practiced by everybody and certainly not the Igbo. You use the word, ' monach' literally meaning king as in too many chiefs and very few Indians. How many kings do the Yoruba have? Every ward has a king every street has a king.. Tell me my dear Yoruba people when will you relieve yourselves of the yoke of servitude. You people must derive orgasm from being servants You and your monachs are a laughing stock. In Yoruba land one is either a monach or a commoner. As for the publicity seeking Obasanjo do not forget that about half a dozen former heads of state are alive in Nigeria Yet Obasanjo continues to parade about seeking cheap thrill from wanting to be relevant as if when he had his chance he transformed Nigeria to El Dorado
You crazy to the bone for this stupid attack on the yorubas have we ever invite your imbecile father to become our King you have nothing upstair
For you Mr Abbey who has something upstairs neither you nor your punk ass father was invited to be a so called' motor park ' monach' You and your father will live and die as servants because all the non imbeciles in Ogun state are already ' monach Tell me Mr Abbey.....how did you Yoruba people get suckered into shit like this?'
GEJ is and will still be president till 2019#unstoppable
Supporting GEJ is a step in the right direction
GEJ will defeat the opposition with a very large margin, supports and endorsements are coming from everywhere, but this is just the beginning.
Fool, did see or read anything about endorsement from the above? They are not happy with the clueless man. So stop dreaming
These monarchs should do the right thing by supporting as well as urging their followers to support GEJ for he is the one the LORD has chosen to keep the wind of transformation blowing.
From all indication the monarchs are fair, and endorsing GEJ is a wise thing to do.
When a lie is told for a long time it appears to look like the truth.
SO SHOULD JONATHAN LET EX-PRESIDENT OBJ PUSH HIM TO THE WALL?. WHAT WOULD NIGERIANS SAY?.
no be quarrel, its just that some things need to be ironed out thats all