*Says presidential action will assuage strained nerves
*Happy is Gov Fayemi part of great History
By KEMI KASUMU
The Attah and Paramount Ruler of Aiyede Kingdom, Ekiti State, Oba Alhaji AbdulMumini Adebayo Orishagbemi, has described Thursday’s decision of a Council of State meeting led by President Muhammadu Buhari to grant the long awaited state pardon to former Minister of Communications and General Officer Commanding,Third Mechanised Division Nigerian Army, Jos, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), his late aide, Lt. Col. Oluwole Oyewole Akiyode, as one that will go a long way in calming strained nerves in the country.
Oba Orishagbemi, one of 16 most powerful traditional rulers, the Pelupelu, in Ekiti State, spoke through his media and publicity consultant, Prince Bashir Adefaka, on Friday.
Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd).
The Ekiti monarch said that he was exceptionally happy that although “our own Southern persons in power saw this pardon but, for their respective eight and six years in power as Presidents, they failed to pardon their fellow Southerner, who is a fine officer like the former minister, despite his brilliant contributions to Nigeria’s telecommunications development and work on oil and gas development reforms.
“The last time it was this same President from Fulani race that recognised our MKO Abiola and made June 12 Democracy Day to the joy of majority of Nigerians, particularly the Yoruba people.
“History will remember what President Buhari has just done pardoning our own retired Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, as done by the North. This underscores the fact that it is he that Allah sends to wish you for good that actually does. We, Yoruba people of Nigeria, love this and appreciate the President for it,” the Attah said.
According to the Attah of Aiyede Kingdom “this state pardon for General Olanrewaju is remarkable and underscore President Buhari’s spirit of forgiveness and fear of Allah as a leader.”
He also thank the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami SAN, Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and others, who were part of the Council that decided on this pardon on Thursday April 14, 2022.
To some Yoruba in Buhari government in whose time this great part of history has been recorded, the monarch, who is Chairman of Muslim Traditional Rulers Council of Ekiti State, said, “To Alhaji Musiliu Smith, former Inspector General of Police and currently Chairman, Police Service Commission, my brother Mr. Femi Adesina, my great Otuba Niyi Adebayo, there is no way these names will not be remembered when the Fulani President that made this happen will be remembered in the history of Nigeria.
“Go and write it down, General Olanrewaju, like President Muhammadu Buhari one of whose successors he was as GOC Third Mechanised Division Nigerian Army in Jos, is as well a special creature of God that cannot be unjustly condemned to negative history for too long. It is the reason his presidential pardon has not just happened but with a remarkable President at a time that is remarkable like now” adding, as a strategically located important Yoruba Oba, “I am the happiest and we appreciate you Mr. President,” Attah Orishagbemi thanked Buhari.
Attah, whose connection with General Olanrewaju tied with his late chief, late Alhaji Kola Animasaun, Journalism father and former Chairman Editorial Board of Vanguard Newspapers, promised to lead General Olanrewaju in a thank you visit, which the thoughtful Yoruba traditional institution leader said will happen soon, to the President in Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja.
