The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to embrace peace and unity as the August 15 governorship election in Osun State approaches.
The monarch made the appeal during a visit by the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, the party’s governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, and other party leaders to the Ooni’s Palace in Ile-Ife.
Represented by the Lowa Adimula of Ifeland, Oba Adekola Adeyeye, the Ooni reaffirmed his commitment to promoting peaceful coexistence regardless of political affiliations, describing Ile-Ife as the spiritual and historical cradle of the Yoruba race.
He urged political leaders and successive governments to prioritise the development of Ile-Ife, noting that the ancient city deserves greater attention because of its cultural and historical significance.
According to the monarch, the late Ooni Adesoji Aderemi made remarkable contributions during his tenure as Governor of the old Western Region, but since then, Ile-Ife has not received the level of development befitting its status.
He compared the city’s importance to that of Sokoto among the Hausa people and Enugu among the Igbo, stressing that Yoruba leaders should work collectively to ensure Ile-Ife receives the recognition and development it deserves.
The Ooni also called on politicians to conduct peaceful campaigns and avoid actions capable of causing violence during the electioneering period.
He urged all parties and their supporters to shun bloodshed and allow voters to exercise their democratic rights freely, emphasising that elections should unite rather than divide the people.
Earlier, ADC National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, said the party chose Ile-Ife as the starting point of its governorship campaign in recognition of the city’s cultural and historical importance.
He noted that the party has maintained a tradition of visiting the Ooni’s Palace to seek royal blessings before embarking on major political activities, adding that the practice dates back to 2004.
Aregbesola said the visit underscored the party’s respect for Ile-Ife as the ancestral home of the Yoruba people and its commitment to preserving the longstanding tradition.
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