By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Akeem, son of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, has revealed that the late revered monarch visited 27 Yoruba monarchs in their palaces to talk about a Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency, just as he wished the former Lagos State Governor to emerge as next Nigerian president while on his sick bed.
According to Akeem, lying on his deathbed, his father shared his thoughts with him before he drew his last breath, which revolved around politics, and specifically his determination to see another Yoruba man become the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Akeem, who is a member of the House of Representatives on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC), revealed this during an interview with an Ogun State based national newspaper, saying the late monarch threw his weight behind a Yoruba presidency and preferably the emergence of the former Lagos State governor as Nigeria’s next president.
According to the lawmaker, his father’s last wish was to see Tinubu become president because of his ability to discover talents and entrench good governance that can put Nigeria on the path of progress and development.
“You won’t believe it but the last thing he said to me was, “Skimeh, bawo ni oro oga yin o?’’ He asked me how my boss’s ambition was progressing. He told me that Asiwaju Tinubu must become Nigeria’s President and I told him to rest, and that was the last thing we spoke about before he died,” the monarch’s son said.
According to him, Tinubu was the last politician that visited Alaafin before his passing and that the traditional ruler had visited 27 Yoruba monarchs in their palaces to talk about a Tinubu presidency.
He said Alaafin gave his prayers and blessings to Tinubu and instructed the Oyo people and the Yorubaland that he (Tinubu) should be fully backed.
“I’m telling you this now. Many people will read this interview. Kabiyesi visited more than 27 Obas in their palaces to talk about Asiwaju’s emergence as Nigeria’s next President. He met Akirun of blessed memory. He met Awujale. The last Oba that visited Kabiyesi before he died was Oluwo of Iwo, and the discussion was about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
“His last wish was to see the next President of Nigeria as a Yoruba man and not just any Yoruba man; he was particular about Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu being President. He saw Asiwaju as a discoverer of talents, someone who’ll lay the foundation to build on, someone who will not only demonstrate good governance and put Nigeria on the path of progress and development but also as someone who knows that there’s no success without a good successor.
“Prince, the reason why I want that man (Tinubu) is that it’s not about his term as President. Asiwaju will let you know that as good as you might rate his tenure, there’s no success without a good successor.
“He’ll ensure after he might have completed his tenure, that he gives you a good successor. You can imagine what will become of Nigeria in that kind of situation.” Thankfully, that wish has come to pass,” the Oba’s son said in an interview.
Alaafin died on Friday, April 22, 2023, at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, after a brief sickness.
Source: The Punch
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