Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke has described the late Owa Obòkun of Ijesaland, late Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran as a legendary king who fulfilled all his developmental wishes for Ijeshaland during his lifetime.
The Governor stated this today when he paid a condolence visit to the members of Ijesha traditional council and elders at the Oba Adekunle Aromolaran Civic Centre, Ilesa.
Accompanied by all political office holders in Ijeshaland led by the State Chairman of the People's Democratic Party, Hon. Sunday Bisi, Governor Adeleke recalled how Baba (Late Owa) emphasized the importance of making University of Ilesa (UNILESA) a reality rather than an audio institution that the past administration wanted to make it to be.
The Governor also recollected how Baba expressed frustration over inability of successive administrations to dualise Palace/Brewery junction road, tasking Governor Adeleke to dualise the road during his lifetime.
"I promised Baba that those two wishes will be realized. It's on the strength of my agreement with Baba that I moved Unilesa from mere paper approval to a functioning University with over 90 accredited courses", Governor Adeleke told the Ijesa elders.
"Our Government not only provided the take-off grant for the new university, we equally commenced Infrastructural development of the university while I appointed a top-class Ijesha academic to lead the university.
“On the road dualisation, we again awarded the project to an Ijesha-owned company and on the day of the flag off, our late Baba, despite of old age told me he must witness the flagg off.
“At the flag off event, Baba expressed satisfaction that his lifetime ambition of getting the road dualised and actualisation of University of Ilesa happened during his lifetime."
"So, we're here to commiserate with Ijesha people. This is a celebration of the life of a legendary king who was actually my dance partner during the governorship of my late brother, Sen Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke.
The Governor assured Ijesha people that the State Government will be fully involved in the burial programme of the late Owa even as he charged them to ensure the emergence of a credible, learned and committed new king who will build on the legacies of the late Monarch.
Speaking earlier, PDP State Chairman, Hon. Sunday Bisi recalled the love of the monarch for the progress and development of Ijeshaland, stressing that anytime late Owa talked to the Governor, it was always about the development of Ijeshaland
"I was there when Baba told Governor Adeleke that making UNILESA a reality and dualising Palace / Brewery junction road were his remaining life ambitions.
"On behalf of Ijesa people, we thank Mr. Governor for fulfilling the wishes of the late Owa by actualising the UNILESA and by launching the dualisation of Palace Brewery junction road."
He pleaded with the Governor to continue to remember his fatherly partnership with the late Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland by further expanding his support and love for the Ijesha people which he has always demonstrated even be
fore assuming governorship.
