The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, on Thursday, was presented with a letter of appointment as the Chancellor of the Kano State Government-owned Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kumbotso.
The state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba,
presented the letter to the royal father in his palace at Ibadan, Oyo State.
At the event, Ganduje said the decision to honour the royal father with the appointment was borne from the desire to maintain the cordial relationship between Kano and Ibadan.
PUNCH had earlier reported that the state Executive Council had recently approved the appointment of the Olubadan as the chancellor of the institution.
Muhammad Garba visited the monarch in the company of his Islamic Affairs counterpart, Angama Lafia and the Oba Yoruba of Kano, Muritala Otisese.
The governor further explained, “What prompted the government to honour our revered royal father was his role in the years back in Kano. He was in Kano before as MD of Triumph Publishing company, years back, during the Abubakar Rimi administration.
The cordial relationship has been there all this while. So, his appointment as Chancellor is well deserved.”
Responding on behalf of the Olubadan, the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Gbadamosi Adebimpe, who appreciated the government for the honour, said the monarch was optimistic that greater development would come to the town in no distant period.
Also speaking, the Senator representing Oyo South, Kola Balogun, remarked, “Today’s event is historical, because Ibadan sons and daughters, high chiefs, members of Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, past president of the council are here. What you will read on their faces is excitement. The excitement you will notice on their faces is a pointer to how the entire Ibadanland is feeling about the event.
“You know Ibadan is one unique family, and that is why we have a peculiar traditional institution which is different from what we have in other Yorubaland. When things like this are happening in the life of any monarch, it calls for celebration and thanksgiving,” the Senator noted.
In an interview with newsmen, the Oba Yoruba of Kano, Otisese, said the people of Kano are peace-loving and accommodating, hence the need to maintain a cordial relationship between the two ethnic groups.
