By Funso Olukoga
The gesture by Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state to rename Tai Solarin College of Education as Oba Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology is a noble one and one decision that should be greeted with a resounding applause.
It is not only in recognition of the position of royal fathers and the traditional institution, it is in fact an acknowledgement of the unique role played in governance by the Awujale, Alaiyeluwa Oba (Dr) Sikiru Adetona, the chairman of the Ijebu Traditional Council and the longest reigning monarch in Nigeria today.
To the uninformed who view everything through the prism of politics, it is a political point scoring for the governor of Ogun State who is making a bid for a second term in office. But it is just mischievously convenient for such people to forget that Awujale Adetona played a great role in ensuring the return to democracy through his unflinching stand in support of democratic struggles against the military, especially the regime of General Sani Abacha, in spite of obvious risks to himself and his position.
Oba Adetona’s contribution to the development of tourism in his domain through his deliberate elevation of the annual Ojude Oba festival to the level of a traditional and international event which to the pride of Ijebu people and Ogun State indigenes is acknowledged worldwide, can not, and should not be overlooked.
The monarch has used his position among Traditional rulers to influence government policies, ensuring that they were steered in positive directions. One of such is the new legislation in Ogun state that among other things, accords traditional rulers rights to determine their choice of funeral ceremonies based on their religions when they finally depart.
Oba Adetona has through his principled lifestyle established a model that brings respect, dignity and stability to the traditional institution in Ijebu land and he is widely acknowledged among traditional rulers in Nigeria as one royal personality who boldly speaks truth to power.
Driven by the determination to ensure the retention and promotion of the educational heritage of Ijebu people, Awujale Adetona tenaciously and fiercely fought against the plan of an administration in Ogun State to abolish the Tai Solarin University of Education.
He did this by rallying the people of Ogun East to be prepared to take over the funding of the university should the government carry out its threat to abolish the institution.
Oba Adetona is a foremost contributor to the advancement of education especially in the tertiary education sector. He has for years endowed a professorial chair in public administration and has in fact just single-handedly completed the building of The Institute Of Governance – a sprawling project at the Ago Iwoye main campus of Olabisi Onabanjo University as his donation to that institution.
This is a project worth billions of Naira complimented with principal staff quarters and the recruitment of renown scholars. One can go on and on.
In a clime where politics is read into every gesture made by important personalities in the public eye, it is perhaps common to find the less informed making snide remarks at any step taken by a public figure regarding contributions to the development of any sector.
But it will indeed be an utmost display of crass cynicism and mischief for any Nigerian not to recognise the fact that the efforts of Oba Adetona were made all through the years, as they are on record, and have been clearly altruistic. Personalities with lesser achievements are known to have been bestowed with monumental recognitions of which they truly didn’t deserve.
But in the case of this Awujale, only a cynic will hold that the honour (in fact any honour) done in acknowledgement of Oba Sikiru Adetona’s contributions is not well deserved.
Given that two institutions presently exist in the name of another illustrous son of Ogun State – the late Dr Tai Solarin, it is not out of place to consider making a change to one of them in recognition of the personality and achievements of the honoree.
It serves to erase any perceived superfluity in bestowing honours on one distinguished individual in one particular sector in the state where others have equally made significant achievements.
It in fact underscores the richness of Ogun state as an acknowledged home of purposeful leadership in the country. Governor Dapo Abiodun truly got it right.