Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof Modupe Adeola Adelabu made a grand return to Ile-Ife in Osun State where she spent 30 years of her career life. She was received by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okuade Sijuwade, at the cosy Olubuse Hall. BUNMI OGUNMODEDE was there.
FOR about an hour, the audience at the cosy Olubuse Hall, within the sprawling palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okuade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, heard how the more than three decades sojourn of Prof Modupe Adeola Adelabu, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, in Ile-Ife shaped her life.
The Ado-Ekiti born princess had returned to ‘The Source’ to pay homage to the foremost Yoruba monarch. It was her own way of saying thank you to a ‘father’ who stood by his ‘daughter’ when it mattered most.
The Ooni was in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on May 8, to witness the inauguration of the professor of Educational Administration as deputy governor.
It was sweet homecoming for the professor, who arrived into the warm embrace of the Ooni, who was seated in the hall, with some royal fathers and high chiefs. Palace spokesman Chief Funmilola Olorunnisola set the ball rolling with the introduction of the hosts.
The traditional praise-singers, Egbe Elewo and Egbe Osirigi, were on hand to spice and add colour to the gathering with their local renditions.
In the hall with Oba Sijuwade to receive the deputy governor were: Olori Monisola Sijuwade, wife of the Oni, who doubles as the Yeyeluwa of Ife; Prince Bayo Sijuwade, the Sooko Laekan of Ife, his wife, Olori Foluke; Ife traditional rulers Kole Ojutalayo (Oba Wanikin); Adebanjo Adedini (Asoya of Ile-Isoya); Ifaturoti Falosa (Osadio) of Ife, among others.
Not quite long, the former military governor of the defunct Western Region, Gen Roberts Adeyinka Adeyinka Adebayo breezed into the palace.
The Iyin-Ekiti-born General walked into the hall as the Oba was just making a pleasant remark about him. After paying the usual homage, he made straight for a seat reserved for him near the monarch, being a high chief of the city.
Oba Sijuwade was acknowledging the presence of Mr Sola Adebayo, the Commissioner for Works in Ekiti-State, as the son of the General, who he called his respectable friend, when the retired military chief came in.
“My friend, who I am talking about is not a bastard. He is the person just coming in,” the monarch said, drawing the audience attention to Gen Adebayo’s arrival.
The younger Adebayo was in the entourage of the deputy governor.
When she stood up to state her mission to the palace, Prof Adelabu said she had come to a city that could be described in every sense of it, her home, having spent more than three decades as a student and lecturer at the then University of Ife, renamed after the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
She relived the good memories of the relationship between the royal father and her family and that the monarch was always there for the family, especially, in its moment of need.
“It is a journey back home. Kabiyesi has been a father to me for a very long time. He organised a party for me when I completed my PhD programme in 1990. We were also with him when he mounted the throne of his forebears on December 6, 1980,” the deputy governor said.
She went on: “I am proud to be a daughter in Osun State having spent more than 30 years here in Ile-Ife. I had all my under-graduate and post-graduation education and degrees here at OAU. I also had my entire working career here. But for what Ife deposited in my life, I won’t be what and where I am today.
“I got married while at Ife; I had all my children here in Ife and all of them had their education here at the OAU. I cannot forget Ile-Ife, a city that gave so much opportunity for me to develop myself to the fullest. I have adopted it as my second home.”
The professor also reminded the monarch how members of her family were always accommodated at Ooni’s London home whenever they were in the United Kingdom (UK) on holidays.
“I want to thank you immensely for the love you have shown to me and members of my family, especially in our moments of trials,” she concluded before she presented the monarch with a plaque bearing the official logo Ekiti State and a compendium on the administration of her boss, Dr John Kayode Fayemi between October 16, 2010 and October 16, 2012.
In his remark, Oba Sijuwade, who had earlier called for a minute’s silence in honour of the late Adelabu Adedeji, an Ijero-Ekiti prince and husband of the deputy governor, described Prof Adelabu as a special and important guest, who he noted came from a good home and developed herself to be cultured.
“Others are seeking employment but Prof Adelabu is one person who is not applying for any job. Rather, jobs are running after her. She married a humble man who lived a peaceful and enviable life. The deputy governor is a lady Nigeria and Africa should be proud of.”
In what looked like a royal blessing, the monarch said the Lord has just started with the deputy governor.
“Your position is a stepping stone. I don’t know exactly where you going and you yourself don’t even know but I know that God is promoting you. Your present position is just a stepping stone. I am proud of you,” he said.
The monarch urged the political and administrative aides to Prof Adelabu to guard against misleading her with wrong counsels.
Also were Ife High Chiefs J.O. Ijaodola (Lowa Adimula); C.O. Awoyefa (Jaran); Johnson Arifayo Awe (Isanire); Adetoye Odewole, (Lowate); Adebowale Olafare (Erebese); Isaiah Eniola (Tewogbade); Johnson Omotoyosi (Akindoyin Jagunjin); Zaccheus Akinropo (Waasin of Ilare Quarters); Johnson Owoyomi (Akogun); Chiefs Segun Arasanmi (Lodoko Adimula); and Tayewo Makinde (Lodoko More).
The female chiefs – Iyabo Regina Adewole (Ekarun Iyalode) and Morunkode Aduke Olasoji (Ekefa Iyalode) were not left out.
