… mouns Awujale of Ijebuland
Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
A former spokesperson for Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate for Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in 2023 elections, Chief Segun Sowunmi, on Sunday, mourned the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari.
This was Just as he also mourn the longest reigning traditional ruler in Ogun, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Ọba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
Buhari died on Sunday in London, United Kingdom, where he was receiving medical treatment over an undisclosed ailment.
But, in a swift reaction to his death, Sowunmi, a former PDP’s governorship candidate in Ogun, said that the former president struggled to curb Boko haram and banditry insurgency but was able to easily put EndSars crisis under control.
He stated this in a tribute message tilted” Muhammadu Buhari(GCFR) Maigaskia is gone” and made available to newsmen through his press office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Describing Buhari as a disciplinarian and a manager of crisis, the Coordinator of The Alternate(A Pan African Movement) said that said that the ex-milllary leader was able to wrestle insurgency and commanded instructions as a former general to nip some non-state actors who overplayed their hands in the bud.
He maintained that Buhari’s refusal to declare Bokoharam and Banditry Terrorist groups made matters worst understand his administration but admire his will and tenacity to wrestle the menace to an end before his tenure exit.
Sowunmi said “When EndSARS happened, I saw the General and crisis manager come forward again, as that was a point that could have imploded the country, but hey, once a general, always a general he brought things under control.”
“Sure, sure it might not have been tidy, but losing the country to a manipulated implosion was not to be allowed under him. When non-state actors overplayed their hands again, I saw him nip them in the bud with command instructions appropriately given to end the madness, and it ended.
“I saw him struggle with insurgency, and perhaps its very nature made that type of asymmetrical war difficult to curb. The targets are too mobile, too formless, and camouflaged, for any citizen looks just like any terrorist. I suppose his lack of desire to call it terrorism did not help matters, and he must have oversimplified the challenge before getting onto the saddle.” added
On the demise of Awujale of Ijebuland, Sowunmi described the monarch who reigned for 64 years as a king who carried himself with dignity and candour making Ojude Ọba a world class festival.
“You carried yourself with the candour and dignity befitting of a refined Yoruba traditional ruler, you made us all proud, you lived well, you contributed significantly to the development of your kingdom our state, Nigeria indeed mankind with your love of scholarly organisation both secular and Islamic.”
“Imagine the world-acclaimed festival known as the Ojude Oba Ijebu ceremony, a durbar with Oriental Arabic Origin for horses where introduced as a result of early interaction with Muslim traders from Mali way before the Dan fodion era as the Ijebus have a long history of trans African trade accross the coast.” he added
