President Buhari attends 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
1: President Buhari being received by APC Chieftain Chief Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Governor Ibikunle Amosun as he attended the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
2: President Buhari being welcomed by Chief Mike Adenuga and Awujale of Ijebuland H.R.H Oba Sikiru Adetona as President Buhari pays courtesy visit to the Palace of Awujale of Ijebuland during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
5: President Buhari with Mr Ladi Balogun, Otunba Shubomi Balogun, Chief Rasak Okoya, Chief Adebutu Kessington and Justice Oguntade during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
8: President Buhari with Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Ibikunle Amosun during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
1: President Buhari being received by APC Chieftain Chief Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Governor Ibikunle Amosun as he attended the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
2: President Buhari being welcomed by Chief Mike Adenuga and Awujale of Ijebuland H.R.H Oba Sikiru Adetona as President Buhari pays courtesy visit to the Palace of Awujale of Ijebuland during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
5: President Buhari with Mr Ladi Balogun, Otunba Shubomi Balogun, Chief Rasak Okoya, Chief Adebutu Kessington and Justice Oguntade during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
8: President Buhari with Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Ibikunle Amosun during the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Ogun State in Ogun on 1st Feb 2016
IT was rousing welcome for President Muhammadu Buhari as he commenced his two-day official visit to the state on Monday.
The president was in Ogun, as part of activities to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the creation of the state.
Clad in all white traditional attire, he was received at the Gateway International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
The president later arrived the palace of Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, at exactly 6.20 p.m. and waived to the admiration of everyone seated inside the palace as the shout of “Sai Buhari” rented the air.
Ministers of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and her Information and Culture counterpart, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, were also on ground to receive him.
The president immediately went into a closed door meeting with the traditional ruler and Governor Amosun for about 20 minutes.
Buhari, after the meeting, addressed the gathering of who’s who in Ijebuland, at a banquet organised by Awujale in his honour, saying his visit would not be complete if he failed to visit the monarch.
He apologised to the personalities who had waited for his arrival for about four hours, submitting that other national assignment held him back in Abuja.
Oba Adetona, in his response, described the president’s visit as “homecoming,” while throwing his weight behind the anti-corruption crusade.
“If we don’t face corruption, corruption will kill us. And we don’t want corruption to kill us. So, Nigerians must support your efforts,” Oba Adetona told the president.
Among personalities seated in the inner chamber of the palace were former governors of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Chief Gbenga Daniel and the senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Prince Buruji Kashamu.
The trio were, however, absent at a special executive session held by the state government in Abeokuta on Monday morning.
Others at the palace were founder and chairman of First City Monument Bank, Chief Subomi Balogun; Mr Oba Otudeko; former Minister of State for Finance, Chief Jubril Martins Kuye; Chief Razaq Okoya, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, Dr Sunny Kuku, Senator Olalekan Mustapha, Chief Agboola Alausa; Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Bishop Albert Fasina; Presiding pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare; traditional rulers from Ijebuland and council of chiefs, among others.
The president immediately left the Awujale’s palace for Abeokuta and was unable to inaugurate the Oba Adetona flyover at Ijebu-Ode and the Sagamu road.
Earlier, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the creation of the state, a special state executive council meeting was held as part of activities for the celebration.
Nigerian Tribune recalled that the state was created out of the defunct Western Region on February 3,1976.
It was administered by the military for 22 years while the civilians ruled for 18 years.
The special executive meeting, held at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, was an avenue for the past military administrators and democratically-elected governors of the state to share their experiences on how they administered the state during their tenures in office.
The special session lasted about two and a half hours.
Those in attendance were the Lieutenant-Colonel Siedu Balogun, Colonel Oladipo Diya, Lieutenant-Colonel Oladayo Popoola, Navy Captain Oladehinde Joseph, Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Akintonde, Group Captain Sam Ewang and Navy Captain Kayode Olofinmoyin.
A minute silence was also observed in honour of ex-military governor, Brigadier Harris Egbagha; the first civilian governor, Chief Olabisi Onabanjo and Navy Captain Mohammed Lawal.
The former governors commended the efforts of the present administration in the state, led by Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for the giant strides in moving the state forward.
Also in attendance were Minister of Finance, Mrs Adeosun; senators representing Ogun Central and West senatorial districts, Prince Lanre Tejuoso and Prince Gbolahan Dada.
However, the senator representing Ogun East, Prince Buruji Kashamu, was absent. Amosun appreciated the former administrators for honouring the state and pledged his commitment to continue to work for the progress of the state.
The governor, thereafter, decorated his predecessors with state crest.
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