The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has praised the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, describing him as a visionary reformer whose leadership and commitment to rebuilding the state have earned national admiration.
The monarch, who spoke on Friday evening during a private meeting with Governor Zulum at the Government House in Maiduguri, expressed deep admiration for the governor’s transformative work and pledged to attract investors to the state.
“I like what you are doing, I am very proud of you. I want to come closer to you. I have been a fan of yours for a long time, and you are a role model to many young people in this country,” the Ooni said.
“I am an advocate now, I will tell people to come and invest. I saw a vast amount of land, arable for any kind of farming, this state can indeed feed the entire country,” he added.
Oba Ogunwusi, who is also the Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), lauded Zulum’s relentless passion for the development of Borno, saying his visit helped him understand the governor’s attachment to the state.
“You have always been passionate about Maiduguri, and I always say to myself, ‘what is in Maiduguri that you are so passionate about?’ But today I came to Maiduguri, and I now see why you are always running back. I felt it when I came here. Honestly speaking, Borno is a beautiful state,” he said.
The Ooni also highlighted the historical and cultural ties between the Yoruba and Kanuri peoples, describing them as “blood relatives.”
“For me, as a traditional ruler from Ife, the Kanuris are our cousins, we are blood relatives, very strongly. I am a student of history, and I met our link and our affiliation,” he said.
In his remarks, Governor Zulum expressed deep appreciation to the Ooni for his visit and for accepting to serve as the Chancellor of Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri.
He described the monarch as a unifying figure and a champion of national cohesion and cultural preservation, pledging to sustain his administration’s drive for peace and sustainable development in the state.
The Ooni was in Maiduguri to attend the combined convocation ceremony of Kashim Ibrahim University, where he led a delegation that included the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole Adebayo; the Alaagba of Aagba, Oba Rufus Olayinka Ogunwole; the Onigbaye of Igbaye, Oba Joseph Okunlola Oni; the Salu of Edunabon, Oba Kehinde Adesoji Oladepo; and the Vice-Chancellor of Ojaja University, Ilorin, Professor Jeleel Ojuade.
