"LAYING LANDMARKS BEYOND THE PRESENT AND THE PAST; THE CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF A MUTUALLY BETTER RELATIONSHIP, BETWEEN REMO AND IJEBU"
In the Name of Almighty Allah, and With the Blessings of Almighty Allah. Amen.
Part 1 - Opening Remarks
This paper consists of nine parts. They are:
1. Introductory Remarks;
2. The Two Legendary Icons and Awardees -
Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan and Balogun-General, Sir Dr Kesington Adebutu;
3. How to Pass On The Awardees' Legacies to Future Generations;
4. Ijebu and Remo Relations - Mr Martindale's British Seeds, of Predictable Discord and How to Move Forward Happily;
5. The Issues About Creation of a State for Ijebu and Remo;
6. The Issue of The Akarigbo's Headship, of Ogun State Obas Council;
7. Ijebu Ode, the Most Marginalized Provincial Capital in Nigeria;
8. The Huge Potentials of Feasible Reconciliation and Restoration o Harmony Between Remo and Ijebu;
9. My Concluding Remarks.
I feel specially and highly honored, to be the Motivational Guest Speaker, at this 5th Annual, and 2018 Edition, of the Remo Achievers' Awards ceremony.
3. I am particularly highly indebted to my great professional colleague and friend of several decades, the highly respected, wise, and shrewd King Akarigbo of Remoland, His Royal Majesty, King Babatunde Ajayi, Torungbuwa II, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, Fellow, The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Fellow, The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Fellow, and current President, Chairman of the Governing Council, The Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Member, Nigerian Bar Association, First Nigerian Member, and Fellow of Insolvency International of United Kingdom (Insol), and by the design of Almighty God, Nigeria's most eligible,and most handsome King! I am sure if you have not given your consent to my nomination, the organizers of this event, would have had no other choice,than to have found another motivational guest speaker. So, Your Royal Majesty, I am most grateful to you, Sir.
4. I am also equally grateful, to both the members of the organizing committee of this great event, ably led, over the past five years, by Ambassador Elizabeth Jekami. A friend warned me, that I should be careful not to look at her too many times, otherwise, I might find myself "visiting the Akarigbo" every Friday evening till midnight ! Remoland has many highly intelligent and highly discerning people, and that they have continued to support you, over the past 5 years, is not only a fitting testimony to your high intelligence quota and charming nature, but also, a public recognition of your high integrity and trustworthiness.
God bless and amply reward you and your aspirations. Amen.
5. I must also not fail, to express my gratitude to the two centers of attention at this event, namely, Asiwaju of Remoland, Solomon Kayode Onafowokan, Officer of the Order of the Niger, and the Balogun-General of Remoland, Sir Dr Kesington Adebukanla Adebutu, Commander of the Order of the Niger, either of who, could have easily aborted my nomination, through a whisper of opposition, but happily did not. I thank you both. I must also thank our Chairman of today's history making event, Aare Kolawole Oyefeso, with whom, I have interacted, as Co-members, of the Ogun State Elders Consultative Forum, for many years, and who, on learning that I would be the Guest Speaker, could easily have declined to serve as the Chairman, but found me worthy of the role. Aare, I thank you so much and hope, God Willing, that I will not disappoint either you, or the revered Monarchs of Remoland and other very eminent men and women, assembled here today.
May Almighty God, guide me right. Amen.
6. The above compliments having been duly paid, I would like to say, with great humility but honestly, that it is not my desire here today, to cast jokes and say sweet but empty words, that will make us clap and clap . No. By the Grace of Almighty God, I will endeavor to speak the Truth, as I humbly believe, I have always been inspired by Almighty God to do, as consistently as possible - Truth that most people here today, or absent, will recall, think seriously about, and act upon, in the years and decades ahead, for the benefits of both ourselves, and posterity. So shall it be by the grace of God. Amen. What follow are entirely my thoughts, and I speak only for myself and for no one else, especially, my comments and opinions, on the past, present and future relationship between Remo and Ijebu, except where I have quoted from historical records. Thank you very much.
Part 2 - The Two Legendary Icons and Awardees, Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan and Balogun-General, Sir Dr Kesington Adebutu.
7. I have no doubt, that the full citations for the two noble Awardees, will be given shortly. So, my own bio-reference will be in the limits of brevity.
Choosing who of these two legendary icons to speak briefly upon first, is a fairly difficult task. Both are not only high, nationally well known and respected accomplishers in their individual rights, but each one is a holder of two of the most legendary titles, that an Akarigbo can ever bestow. In business and industry and as employers of labour of note, each Awardee has been for many decades, and remains, also a great legend, in his own right !
8. I have been more closely associated with Asiwaju Onafowokan, than with the Balogun- General of Remoland, Sir Kesington Adebutu, although, quite unknown to him, our path once crossed briefly, several years back, during my intervention, to ensure that the Late Alaperu, Oba Ogunfowora, chose my late father-in-law, Chief Adesegun Oyeti, as the Osi Balogun of Iperu, the third in Lopere rank, to the then Balogun of Iperu, the famous Sir Adebutu ! We also sat together as guests of the Late Akarigbo Oba Sonariwo at the wedding party of his son, at the Nigerian Army Cantonment, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, in Lagos, a few years back. Asiwaju Onafowokan was also personally present at Idowa, with Their Royal Highnesses, the Alaperu of Iperu, the Elepe of Epe and the then Akarigbo-in-Waiting, and by the Grace of God now, His Royal Majesty Oba Babatunde Ajayi, during my 80th birthday prayer, in April 2017. So if on this occasion I choose to proceed in the alphabetical order of their respective Chieftaincy titles of Asiwaju and Balogun, I have no doubt that the amiable Balogun-General of Remoland will readily pardon my partiality ! I have the bad habit of being fanatically loyal !
9. Asiwaju Onafowokan is a legend among legends in the history of Commerce and Industry in Nigeria. For several years, he ably headed and piloted to even greater heights, the fortunes of a child that was born to be much more greater than his father, the Chamber of all Chambers, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Asiwaju led the great institution in such a wise, exemplary and foresighted way that today, Chief S.K. Onafowokan will readily be ranked amongst the historic and never to be forgotten Barons of Industry in Africa, such as Chief C.O Lawson and High Chief Henry Fajemirokun, both of blessed memory. Today, Asiwaju is Chairman of several high profile, and very viable, highly successful enterprises. They include the very famous Coleman Wires and Cables, whose brand advertisements, rank amongst the most imaginative, hard hitting, promos in West Africa, if not the whole of Africa. Coleman's is an advertisement no one is ever tired of seeng and the credit for that goes to its Chairman, the Asiwaju of Remoland. Almighty God will continue to make you a blessed Leader wherever you may be.
10. We in Ijebu are ever appreciative and proud of Sir Kesington Adebutu as the owner of one of the most nationally well known gaming companies in Nigeria, called "Baba Ijebu". This is an institution that gives hope of affluence to millions of ordinary Nigerians, and offer gainful employment directly and indirectly to several millions of the middle aged and youths all over Nigeria. There are businessmen and there are businessmen, but only a very few Nigerian businessmen that can be publicly presented as without any record of partnership betrayal, over-smartness, and "cunny cunny"! Remoland is very fortunate that the two awardees of today are two shinning symbols of highly successful businessmen, free of blemish, free of stories, and free of any stain on their honour and integrity, their past and their present ! Believe you me, here are two great men of absolute trustworthiness ! These are two highly successful businessmen that prove beyond any iota of doubt, that in our diverse country Nigeria, it is still quite possible for one to be very successful and hugely celebrated a businessmen or woman, without the blemish of unfair dealings, betrayal of friends and business partners, both locally and internationally. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the two legendary icons being honoured today, Asiwaju Solomon Kayode Onafowokan and Balogun -General Sir Kesington Adebutu, are to the best of my knowledge and information, among the most trustworthy and fair dealing businessmen, Africa has ever produced. Kindly join me in giving both of them a standing ovation.
11. Balogun-General Kesington Adebutu, I have glanced at the very long list of your acts of charity and benevolence, and I must confess that henceforth, I shall always see you as one of the most quiet, and most noise-free philanthropists, any where in Nigeria. I am both surprised and shocked, that I have never read any newspaper or magazine, in which you were recounting or celebrating any of your very long list of quite substantial charitable projects and donations. It also occurred to me, that you hardly ever celebrate yourself or your attainments through press interviews or on the pages of newspapers ! By the Grace of Almighty God, I too will endeavour to copy your unique style of noiseless giving, and stupendous philanthropy, when, God Willing,I too become a philanthropist ! All those who wish God to grant my prayer should please join me in once again, applauding the Balogun-General and the Asiwaju.
12. You the people of Remo are justly proud of them, and we the people of ijebuland hold both of them in the highest possible esteem. You will all agree with me, that it is the original Ijebu in them, and their great grand parents, is what has made and still makes them so bright, so wise, so foresighted, and so charming and magnificent every where and everyday ! May your shadows continue to loom larger, and may your business enterprises continue to grow and prosper. May the children of each of you, be greater and more blessed, than you, and during your life times. Amen.
6th December, 2018.
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