Sokoto stands still as Sultan of Sokoto receives Deji of Akure in Palace

*Akure monarch a true lover of Nigeria – Governor Tambuwal

It was like glamorous occasion  never before when Africa’s number four most influential monarch and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, formally received a custodian of Yoruba customs, traditions and Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi Odundun II, in his Palace on Tuesday.

The Deji, who was accompanied by a 20-member high-powered delegation to the ancient City, had arrived the state via a Lagos-Sokoto flight which touched ground at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport Sokoto around 2.45pm on Monday.

On his entourage were mainly a former Presidential Candidate, one time Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae; Secretary to the Government of Ondo State (SSG), Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde; the Chief Imam of Akure Kingdom, Sheikh Abdul-Hakeem Yayi Akorede, the Edemo of Akure Kingdom, High Chief Afolabi Fayehun; HOD Botany, University of Ibadan, Professor Abiodun Ayodele; business mogul Olumide Origunloye; a former Ondo State Commissioner, Mr. Ayorinde Ajayi; Engr. Sunday Falae among others.

The Akure monarch, on arrival at the Sultan’s Palace on Tuesday, was received by senior members of the Sultanate Council including the Galadiman Geri of Sokoto, Alhaji Atahiru Aliyu, who immediately ushered him into the presence of the Sultan in an already set special Sultanate Council meeting session convened in honour of the Akure king.

The visit to the Palace was not to be ordinary as the Sokoto monarch let loose a line up of Kaakaki fluits handlers, who sounded their instruments aloud as mark of honour for the Deji of Akure.

Receiving the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, the Sultan stood up from his seat of majesty, moved a step forward and had apparently and profoundly from-the-bottom-of-the-heart handshakes with his cherished visitor, who was making his first ever such visit since he ascended to the throne in the Kingdom that is headquartered in Ondo State capital of Akure.

Telling his royal host about why he is in Sokoto, Oba Aladelusi said he needed at this time to move out from his place and reach out to the Sultan, who he said “we look up to as our role model” as a mark of respect and for the purpose of rubbing minds on moving Nigeria forward as a united entity.

To the Deji, the Sultan is in the Constitution but “we the other monarchs who are not therein, we call on you to make case for us to be part of the Constitution so that we can be empowered to play more effective rolls in achieving security, peace and development for our country Nigeria”.

The Deji told Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar that the hospitality and show of love he and his entourage received since arrival in Sokoto was so far unmatched and promised that “when Your Eminence comes to Akure in September as Chief Guest Speaker at our Ulefunta 2019 Lecture, we will try our best, if not to match the level of what we get here, but to be close to it”, adding that in truth, “Sultan and the Sokoto people are wonderful”.

Responding, the Sultan could not hold back the profoundness of his appreciation for the visit by the Akure, Yoruba Land notable king, who shunned negative and destructive stories being peddled around in a section of the media and social media against one tribe, religion and another and proceeded on the journey to Sokoto.

He however corrected the impression that the Sultan is in the Constitution while others are not, saying that, “We are doing what you see us do not because we are in the Constitution but because we know that is what we should do, constitutional empowerment or not, and we achieve all of those things all together, not by me alone because we consult widely across the six geo-political zones of the country before we do anything”.

The Sultan was especially grateful to the Deji saying that for him to come at a time some elites in the country were seriously engrossed in disseminating untrue, destructive information and making inflammatory comments setting one part of the country against another, it was indisputable indication of strong love and commitment to the united nation of Nigeria.

Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar was especially appreciative of the presence of Chief Olu Falae to have accepted to be on the entourage of the Deji, pointing out that the former SGF had displayed a rare quality of a true statesman.

On the sideline of the visit to Sultan, the Deji proceeded to the Government House where all was already set for his courtesy call on the governor, Rt. Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

On arrival at the Government House, Oba Aladelusi was received by the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government who ushered him to the Council Chamber where the governor, assisted by members of the  cabinet, formally received him at about 2.45pm same Tuesday.

The Deji told the Governor Tambuwal why he was in the state, which he said was to reach out to the Sultan with a view to further advancing the course of ensuring peace and unity among peoples of various ethnic and religious backgrounds in Nigeria.

Governor Tambuwal, who first acknowledged the presence of Chief Olu Falae who he described as “my father and I truly mean my father”, said Falae’s late son “Deji” was his classmate at King’s College and recalled the good days they both had with Baba who treated him well like he did to his own son.

He thanked the Deji of Akure for his spirit of togetherness and commitment to one and united nation of Nigeria and promised that, “If His Eminence the Sultan would permit me, I will like to be on his entourage to attend your Ulefunta Lecture in September.”

The Sultan and governor, who presented royalty gifts to the Deji of Akure Kingdom during the separate meetings, were in turn presented talking drums and traditional calabash apparently filled with kolanuts signifying true and profound love.

Also, the Deji also visited the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Fr Matthew Hassan Kukah, during which he thanked him for coming to Akure to deliver Ulefunta Lecture 2019.

With the Deji’s visit, a new dimension has unfolded in efort by traditional rulers to keep Nigerians together as one.