By Ayo Jones
(with Agency reports)
President Bola Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) award on the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, to mark the monarch’s 90th birthday celebration.
“Because Kabiyesi Adetona has honoured our country and humanity with his many years of meritorious service, I, therefore, on this occasion of his 90th birthday ceremony, confer on him the second highest national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON),” the president said.
The President, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, during the commissioning of the Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona School of Governance Studies and the presentation of a book, titled, “Reinventing Governance in Nigeria: The Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Model,” said the monarch deserved the second highest honour in the land because of his contribution to nation-building and meritorious service to humanity.
President Tinubu also lauded Oba Adetona for his forthright and exceptional character, adding that the monarch’s numerous contributions to national development were commendable.
He said that the Oba Sikiru Adetona School of Governance Studies would be taken over and managed by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos.
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, described the Ogun monarch as a living legend and a phenomenon whose reign has been a monumental success and a pride to the entire Ijebuland and the state at large.
He said the monarch’s passion for governance and accessible commitment to education led him to institute the Oba Sikiru Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance in the Department of Political Science of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.
“This initiative has led and given birth to the establishment of the world-class Oba Sikiru Adetona School of Governance, the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“He also championed the Ijebu Development Board on poverty eradication that has become a model in the entire country,” Mr Abiodun said.
Pro-Chancellor of the University, Toyin Ashiru, a professor, said that the establishment of the School of Governance was aimed at fostering dialogue among scholars, policymakers and practitioners on matters of governance, leadership and public service.
He noted that it would serve as a hub for research, knowledge sharing and capacity building to equip people with needed skills for effective governance.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Ayodeji Agboola, noted that the Awujale had contributed to the development of the school through the donation of offices, lecture and seminar rooms, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) materials and Library.
He assured that the vision and mission of the School of Governance Studies would be pursued to make it a centre of excellence in good government and leadership in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
In a lecture, titled, ‘Changing Nigeria’s Governance Narrative,’ the occupant of the Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance, OOU, Akinsola Agagu, a professor, noted that since independence, Nigeria has grappled with democratic crisis, corruption, mismanagement, ineptitude, and insecurity, among others.