Ooni of Ife visits President Tinubu in Lagos, endorses Forest Guard initiative
By Kunle Sanni
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at his private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he applauded the President’s efforts in economic reform and endorsed the administration’s proposed Forest Guard security initiative.
Speaking to journalists after the closed-door meeting, the revered monarch said his visit was primarily to celebrate the Eid holiday with the President and to share feedback from his recent international engagement in Kazakhstan.
“I’m here to greet Mr. President for the Sallah break and also to appreciate all the great things he’s doing for our dear country,” Oba Ogunwusi stated. “I went to Kazakhstan and came back with feedback. The good things he’s doing are opening Nigeria up to so many nations that now want to work with us.”
The Ooni commended President Tinubu’s ongoing reforms in macroeconomic policy, particularly noting improvements in Nigeria’s international perception and the unification of exchange rates.
“In history, there is no arbitrage again. You bring dollars to Nigeria to do business, and you take it out—no dual exchange between the central bank and the parallel market. The world is watching us as a nation,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of collaboration between traditional institutions and the government, saying, “We traditional rulers should lead by example, work in tandem with the government, and give hope to our youth.”
On the issue of security, the Ooni threw his weight behind the proposed overhaul of the Forest Guard structure, describing it as a critical step in securing rural and forested areas across the country.
“We’re very happy with the Forest Guard structure and the new platform to bring in more police force to continue to comb the entire forest, both in the North and in the South,” he noted. “Once security is addressed, there will be a solid platform for investment to flow into Nigeria.”
