OONI AND SULTAN, GREATEST KINGS IN NIGERIA - Former President Jonathan

Yesterday the Natural Father of the Oduduwa Race Worldwide and the Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi,CFR, Ojaja II, yesterday wrapped up his 3 day working visit  to Balyesa state where  he held meetings with relevant stakeholders including former president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Governor of Balyesa state, Senator Duoye Diri, and Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers and members of his council who expressed excitements to host their national Ooni Ogunwusi who doubles as the Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council(SNTRC) and Co-Chair, Notional Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN).

According to a release sent to journalists by Otunba Moses Olafare, director of Media and Public Affairs to Ooni, reads that former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan hosted Ooni Ogunwusi and his entourage at his Otuoke country home near Yenagoa on Thursday described the African foremost monarch as a great gift given to Africa, saying whenever the National government wants to do something in the country, the two most prominent kings they call are the Sultan of Sokoto and the Ooni of Ife, calling them the two greatest kings in the country.

 "Your Majesty, I used to tell you that I'm from Osun state, I did my NYSC in the town of Iresi in Osun state, maybe that was why I was very close to Osun state while I was the President. You Osun people may not know the importance of the Ooni because he's your traditional ruler. When I was there as the President, I met a committee of National Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, Sultan and Ooni were the permanent Co-chairmen of all the Nigeria's traditional rulers, Sultan for the North and the Ooni for the entire South. That tells you the pedigree of the Ooni of Ife when it comes to kingship in Nigeria". President Jonathan said.

Ooni, the number one Yoruba king also on Friday met with members of the Balyesa State Council of Traditional Rulers in Yenagoa in which they all deliberated on issues bordering on the economy and security of the nation, adopting cross cultural visits and communication as veritable tools to unite the Nigerian people(s) for peace and tranquility to reign in the country. He seized the opportunity to solicit the state traditional rulers support for the President Tinubu administration with prayers to succeed exceedingly in his renewed hope agenda for Nigeria.

The Governor of Balyesa state Duoye Diri, describing the Ooni's visit as long overdue and golden opportunity for the people of Balyesa to see the great Nigerian king for the first time. Governor Diri expresses his intention to bring Ooni Ogunwusi back to the state when Balyesa will be celebrating it's 29th year creation anniversary celebrations which comes up later this year.

"Your Majesty, government and the good people of Balyesa love you so passionately and we see this your coming as our opportunity to invite you to be our Special Royal Father Of The Day later this year for 29 years anniversary of our state creation. You are a leader we all love and respect. You have so far comported yourself with royal dignity of majestic simplicity, your humility is second to none and I am so happy with the high esteem in which our traditional rulers here hold you.". governor Diri said.

Accompanied by Ooni of Ife are his beautiful Queen; Olori Elizabeth Ogunwusi, two members of the Osun State Council of Obas and Chiefs; The Alaagba of Aagba Kingdom, HRM, Oba Rufus Olayinka Ogunwole and  the Onigbaye of Igbaye; HRM, Oba Joseph Okunlola Oni, a Cabinet Member of The Ooni-In-Council who is The Jagunosin  of Ife Kingdom; Highchief Olufemi Kayode Collins, Ooni's Director of Media and Public Affairs; Otunba Moses Olafare, a retinue of security details and traditional aides known as Emese Ooni.