President Bola Tinubu on Friday, conferred the second highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON), on the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, as he marked his 90th birthday.
The President made the conferment at the birthday ceremony for the Royal Father, held at the Oba Sikiru Adetona School of Governance, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.
He said: “The conferment of the GCON honour is a testament to Awujale’s remarkable service to the nation and his people.
“Because Oba Adetona has honoured our country and humanity with his many years of meritorious service, I therefore, on this special occasion of his 90th birthday ceremony, confer on him the second highest National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON). I wish Kabiyesi Awujale more years of service to the people of Ijebuland and robust health on the throne. Many happy returns Kabiyesi.”
President Tinubu expressed his gratitude for the monarch’s dedication and wished him many more years of service and robust health on the throne.
President Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, praised the Awujale for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the people of Ijebuland over the last 64 years.
According to him, “Kabiyesi Adetona deserves all the accolades we can accord him because he earned them. In the last 64 years, Kabiyesi had served the people of Ijebuland with great wisdom and rare dedication. It is not surprising that his kingdom and people have continued to thrive.”
The President highlighted Awujale’s commitment to democracy and good governance, saying, “if democracy is blossoming in our country today, it is because patriarchs like Oba Adetona stood firmly on the side of the people.
“In times of adversity, Oba Adetona showed strength and kingly character. He stood his ground and confronted injustice and oppression during our just struggle for the restoration of democratic rule in the land between 1993 and 1999.”
President Tinubu also commended Awujale’s contributions to education, particularly the endowment of a professorial chair at the Olabisi Onabanjo University and the establishment of the Post-Graduate School on Policy and Governance Studies, which was inaugurated as part of the birthday celebrations.
“Motivated by higher and noble ideal to entrench democratic good governance in our country, Oba Adetona recognised the importance of expanding the frontier of knowledge with his endowment of a professorial chair at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State,” he said.
The President also directed that the Post-Graduate School on Policy and Governance Studies, which was inaugurated as part of the birthday celebrations, be managed by the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, to ensure that the knowledge production and intellectual output benefit the entire country.
Deji Elumoye
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