The Prescribed authority of Ugbo Land and Chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas, Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty , Oba Dr. Frederick Enitiolorunda Akinruntan has entered into the septuagenarian threshold of 70 years. The urbane and suave royal father who is aslo the Chairman of the Yoruba Obas Peace and Conflict Resolution Council (YPCRC) celebrated the birthday strictly among immediate closely knitted family members and few well-wishers at his palace at Ode Ugbo in strict compliance with the safety protocols of COVID 19.
Oba Akinruntan said he was grateful to God for the grace upon his life which has taken him this far , maintaining that God has been merciful to him and has made it possible for him to get to the three score ten threshold in robust good health. While appreciating the grace of God more, the revered Royal father said so many of his colleagues whom they had started the journey of life together are no more, hence the need for him to return all gratitude to God in all reverence and humility.
The Olugbo whose rein on the throne of his forefathers at Ode Ugbo has engendered peace and development in the coastal communities making up Ugbo Ilaje, in an exclusive chat at his classy and sophisticated palace, said since his return home in 2009 to become the Olugbo of Ugbo, great things have been happening in the kingdom and assuring his subjects, the oil magnate and successful entrepreneur and captain of industry turned Royal Father said his kingdom is about to witness more infrastructural development and amazing turn around.
Taking advantage of the internet zoom platform of cross boundary audio visual communication, Oba Olugbo’s kith and kin in the Diaspora engaged him and prayed God to grant him more of good health and long life.
In a lighter mood of the celebration, the Paramount ruler of Ugbo Kingdom was prodded by this reporter over the reason behind the adoption of the Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu for a second term by Ondo State Council of Obas and Oba Akinruntan said the reason was not far fetched.
Olugbo maintained that Ondo Monarchs resolved after a thorough deliberation to adopt the incumbent for a second term because the winning team is not changed half way into an exciting match. He noted that the Obas who are the representatives of diverse communities making up Ondo State are not unmindful of the great strides of the Governor in the area of infrastructural development of the state and they want this good job to continue. You will recall that the Obas have a council and I only presided as the Chair of the council, so what we did was a concessus agreement to adopt Akeredolu and that was why you saw myself and Olowo raising up his hand in the group photograph, Olugbo said.
When he was asked if he didn’t think the Obas adoption could give the incumbent an undue advantage over other contestants, Oba Akinruntan said Akeredolu already had edge over all the other contestants because he took his time to acquit himself creditably well in his first term that is gradually rounding off,
advising that other contestants should calmly hold on until he rounds off his second tour of duty four years from now.
Olugbo added that because it’s an election in a Democracy and not a selection process Governor Akeredolu must have keen competitors but on the bases of his commendable performance so far he stands shoulder high and above his contestants as far as the APC primary election and the October 10th governorship poll is concerned in Ondo State.
