It was commendation moment for the Eze N’digbo of Ibadanland and Oyo State, Dr. Alex Anozie at the Alarere residence of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen Lekan Balogun Alli Okunmade II yesterday during the presentation of the glazed Certificate of the Igbo Chieftaincy title of Ezi Ogo Ukwu N’digbo Nala earlier bestowed on the paramount ruler by the Igbo community in Ibadanland and Oyo State.
At the launch of the Igbo 2023/2024 Almanac where the title was bestowed on Olubadan and which was earlier held at the Oba Akinbiyi High School II, Premier Hotel Junction, Mokola, Ibadan, Oba Balogun was represented by one of her daughters, Princess Olayinka Balogun, who collected the award on Olubadan’s behalf and later did the presentation to him in his Alarere residence.
In a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the Olubadan, Oladele Ogunsola, Oba Balogun was quoted as saying that Dr. Anozie has been using the position of Eze N’digbo to foster unity in the country, stressing that with more of him across the country, the dream of a more united and cohesive nation would become a reality.
According to him, “my brother, Dr. Anozie is a man of peace, he preaches it and lives it. We need many more of him in our land to achieve our dream of united, strong and cohesive nation. I admire his loving and peaceful disposition, which has again manifested in this title bestowed on me. I cherish it and will always appreciate the Igbos for the relationship existing between us”.
Oba Balogun enjoined other Nigerians to emulate the Igbo leader, who he said “has been an apostle of peace of unity in the country. We are confronted with a lot of challenges truly, but, with love, accommodating spirit and respect for one another, the seemingly insurmountable challenges would be a walk-over. Once again, I thank the Igbo community for your love and understanding as well as support since my assumption of the throne. Let the brotherly love continue”, he added.
At the launch of the Almanac where the Chieftaincy title was conferred on Olubadan, the Eze N’digbo described the title as a way of appreciating him and said the title means that “Oba Balogun is a ‘very good and great in-law of N’digbo’ and used the occasion to implore every part of Nigeria to learn to live together in peace.
Eze N’digbo recalled that Oba Balogun married “one of our beautiful daughters of Igbo origin from Onitsha and they are wonderfully blessed with beautiful children. I urge us all to continue to do everything we can do to keep moving with the manner N’digbo and Ibadan people are doing”.
