Ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke to continue developing every part of the state.
Obasanjo said Osun occupies a unique place in Yoruba history, being a state that has Ile-Ife, the cradle of the race in its fold, noting that development experience in the state will confer honour on the Yoruba people wherever they are found.
Speaking shortly before he commissioned Old Garage-Oke Fia-Lameco Dual Carriageway in Osogbo, one of the projects being used to commemorate the second anniversary of Adeleke in office, Obasanjo recalled how in faraway Brazil during a visit to a city called Bahia he saw Yoruba people, who were still holding on to their culture.
The ex-Nigerian leader, said while in Brazil, he met a couple, who requested him to join them in marriage in a Sango deity way, adding that to accomplish the task, he had to ask that thunder stone be sent to him from Nigeria, which he used to join the couple.
“When I arrived here, you told me about the pensioners owed by the previous governments that you have paid their entitlements, the advice I want to give you is that you should continue as you are doing.
“What you are elected for is to make life easier for Osun people and that is what you are doing. May God help you. Those who have been governors before you have written their own history, and you are also writing yours now. I want to assure you that I will always support you in whatever you do.
“Osun State is very special among other Yoruba-speaking states. Ile-Ife, which is the cradle of the Yoruba race is in Osun, which is why the work you are doing in Osun is for all the Yoruba race.
“When I went to Brazil, a man and wife wanted to be joined in marriage according to Sango deity way, and they asked me to conduct the wedding for them. I told them I didn’t know anything about the ‘Sango’ way of joining a couple. But I called home (Nigeria) and requested thunderstones.
“When I got hold of the objects, I put the thunder stones on the table, and I called the name of God to bless the marriage. The couple now have two children. Yoruba people are everywhere in the world,” Obasanjo said in Yoruba language.
Commenting further on Adeleke’s performance in two years, Obasanjo noted significant improvement in infrastructural amenities in the state and urged Adeleke to continue developing every part of the state.
In his remarks, Adeleke recalled how the late Asiwaju of Osogbo, Mr Ajadi Badmus, supported his idea to transform the state capital, and subsequently named the dual carriage Abdulfatai Adekilekun Ajadi Badmus Road in honour of the late community leader.