The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, has said his good plans for the people of Oyo town and Yorubaland remained unshaken.
Oba Owoade stated this when he received traditional rulers from Ibarapa area of Oyo state during a courtesy visit on Thursday
He stressed that he was not just a traditional ruler but also a key figure who should serve as a bridge between traditional institutions and modern governance.
” The Alaafin stool is a symbol of cultural pride, unity, and the enduring legacy of one of Africa’s most powerful empires.The Oyo Empire was once the political and military stronghold of the Yoruba people, renowned for its administrative sophistication, military prowess, and cultural influence”, he said .
Oba Owoade added, ” The Alaafin, as the paramount ruler, has always been the custodian of its traditions, the unifying force of the Yoruba people, and a bridge between the past and the future.”
The Alaafin emphasized that ” harmonization of norms and values embedded in traditional institutions, with the modern system of governance is the only antidote in reducing, if not totally eradicating, the problems of access to justice and conflict resolution in the country.
According to Oba Owoade, apart from being the powerful human tool for survival, the defined cultural norms and values also form the bases of existence of every civilized society and they bring order which in turn makes the society devoid of any state of lawlessness.
Assuring the Ibarapa Obas, Oba Owoade solicited for the same support accorded his predecessor, late Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi
The Olu of Igbo-Ora Land, Oba Jimoh Olajide Titiloye, Asoroolu Ayinla V, who led other Ibarapa monarchs on the courtesy visit said, “as the Alaafin assumed the sacred responsibility, we are confident that your wisdom, leadership, and dedication will further strengthen the unity and progress of Oyo Kingdom, Yorubaland and Nigeria at large.
“You are on the threshold of history as the successor to Oba Adeyemi III, one of the most influential and longest-reigning monarchs in Yoruba history”.