Afolabi Gambari
The outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in 2020 provided the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) an ample opportunity to demonstrate his philanthropy yet again.
At a time that government dithered in coming up with coordinated palliative measures to cushion effects of the pandemic in April, Oba Ogunwusi moved to make an enduring mark. He presented three locally made motorised modular fumigators to Lagos State Government as his contribution to the fight against the pandemic. He also handed over a large size drone sprinkler for the aerial fumigation purposes to the state Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. In addition to the donation, the Ooni’s gesture also aimed at promoting the environmental friendliness of the local fabrication and he said his donation was informed by the reality that made Lagos State the epicenter of the pandemic in Nigeria.
Nevertheless, the monarch used the occasion to enjoin Nigerians to cooperate with government in the fight against coronavirus while seeking alternative solutions to the scourge.
Oba Ogunwusi however charged other Nigerians to join hands with the government in the fight against COVID-19. He urged people to look beyond palliatives by coming up with more local solutions to save lives during and after the COVID-19.
From Lagos, the Ooni proceeded to other states that include Oyo, Ogun, Delta and Ekiti where he also donated equipment to battle the health challenge. It was an effort that earned the monarch widespread commendation in Nigeria and abroad.
Among those who commended Ooni Ogunwusi were the officials of African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AUECOSOCC) who said the Ooni broke a new ground in response to people in need after he donated fumigation drones, mobile fumigators and other personal protective equipment to several states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Afterwards, the Ooni also launched safety awareness campaign over the pandemic by asking Nigerians to observe all necessary protocols as COVID-19 spread eased across the country. He commended the government’s response, even as he also charged the government not to relax its measures towards restoring normalcy on lives and activities. Although he admitted that God had been kind to Nigeria with regard to low record of the virus spread as compared to Europe, Asia, Europe and the United States, he enjoined more Nigerians, particularly people in the communities, to submit for tests that could determine their infection.
During his visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja on September 4, Ooni Ogunwusi pledged his best effort to help the government to sensitise the people towards containing the coronavirus spread.
It can be safely said that by the time the war against Covid-19 is finally won, Ooni Ogunwusi will occupy a pride of place among the Nigerians who stood resolutely to defeat the scourge.
The Ooni’s act of philanthropy knows no limit. When a 17-year-old boy, Samuel, who sold roasted corn by the road side in the ancient town of Ile Ife, drew a pencil portrait of the monarch, little did the teenager know that the drawing would go viral soon after as to attract the monarch’s attention. The rest, as they say, is history.
Samuel got invited by the Ooni to his palace where he expressed his delight at the art work. Oba Ogunwusi then declared that he would sponsor Samuel up to a university education after which he would get him offer of employment upon graduation.
It was an event that portrayed the philanthropic side of the monarch. But the trait dated back to many years and has today marked the Ooni out among traditional rulers in Nigeria.
He also believes in encouraging the youth to maximise their potential for the country’s progress and development. It is on this score that he recently criticised the involvement of Nigerian youth in the reality show Big Brother Nigeria, the content of which he described as distractive, alien and unacceptable to the country’s culture and tradition. He advocated a change in the programme’s content to reflect what he called ‘The Big Nigeria Reality Show’.
As a believer in one Nigeria, Ooni Ogunwusi has found it a lot easier to stretch hands of fellowship across the Niger. He recently appointed Bello Bala Shagari as the Managing Director of Royal African Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF). The appointee, who is a former president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) is a grandson of former Nigerian president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
The Ooni posited that the choice of the young Shagari owed to the latter’s well-refined, dynamic, matchless, intellectual and rich historical campaigns for the reconstruction and transformational leadership in Africa which he noted came through the precious knowledge and unbreakable ambition of the continent’s young populations. He also said that the appointment followed RAYLF’s philosophical alignment on its ethos and culture, shared mutual thoughts as well as the need to redefine the culture of governance, leadership, entrepreneurial inventiveness and innovative ingenuity of Africa’s brilliant young populations which has been at the core mission of the throne of Oduduwa, the stool of His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife.
