Ooni bagged South-West Diasporas' award
The South-West Diaspora Focal Point Officers (SwDFPOs) have honoured the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for his immense contributions to the fight against human trafficking. This honour is contained in a statement signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media and Public Relations Unit of the Nigerian in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and made available in Abuja.
Supreme reports that the ceremony in which the Ooni was honoured was staged in collaboration with Make Mee Elegant Foundation. The Ooni bagged the title "Nigeria Ambassador Against Human Trafficking". The award was presented to the king on Monday at his Ile-Ife palace by Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, a former member of the House of Representatives, who chaired the occasion.
Famurewa said that it was a thing of joy and honour for him to have been called upon to present the award to Oba Ogunwusi. He said the Oba was simply one of a kind as a result of the multifaceted roles he was playing, among which was fostering cohesion in the South-West. Famurewa declared that Kabiyesi, was in Abuja sometime before and he spoke truth to power. He thanked him for it.
In his address of welcome, Femi Odere, the Senior Special Assistant (Diaspora Affairs) to Ekiti Governor said the award was just "their little token which symbolises their utmost respect and appreciation to the oba by the Body of SwDFPOs. He said Kabiyesi has redefined the institution of monarchy in the entire southwest with the way he has personally intervened in the trafficking of young boys and girls into slave labour. Odere said that the Ooni has shown through his various activities that he was concerned about the development of the Nigerian youth.
He conceded that Kabiyesi has fundamentally changed the way he look at the traditional rulers. As an ideologue, he never believed that democracy and monarchy should ever mix. Odere said by virtue of how Kabiyesi has significantly touched lives, he now believe that some kind of constitutional roles should be given to traditional rulers for better management of our society.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Osun, Mrs. Titi Fadahunsi-Ajayi, expressed her appreciation to the Ooni of Ife for his tremendous assistance to the youths of the state. She admonished the youths to seek greener pastures the "right and legitimate way", if they must emigrate. The member of the Ondo State House of Assembly Committee on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs, Hon. Favour Tomomewo, also lauded the Ile-Ife king for his several interventions.
She pleaded with the Ooni to prevail on the governors of the region to see the need for the creation of Diaspora Commission in all the South-West states. She said that would be one of the most effective ways in which governments can effectively nip human trafficking in the bud in the region. In his response, Ooni Ogunwusi said that he was elated that the organisers thought it fit to honour him. He said he would not relent in fighting human trafficking in Yorubaland and, by extension, the entire country.
Supreme reports that the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, was also honoured as she bagged the "Champion of Women Empowerment and Eradication of Human Trafficking" award. She was represented on the occasion by Mr. Wale Ojomo.
