Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II on Friday expressed empathy with the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his crowded and tight campaign schedules which occasionally may lead to him disappointing some people.
Oba Balogun made this remark while reacting to the message of apology sent to him, members of his Advisory Council and other traditional rulers from the Oke-Ogun area of the state, who could not be seen by the politician despite their hours of waiting for him at the Oja’ba palace of the Olubadan on Thursday during his campaign rally at the Mapo Hall in the state capital.
In a press statement signed by the Olubadan’s Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola and which was made available to journalists in Ibadan on Friday, it was recalled that the traditional rulers had gathered at the Oja’ba palace to receive the APC Presidential standard-bearer, but he could not make it to the venue due to tight schedules and mammoth crowd that gathered around Mapo axis where the Oja’ba palace is located.
Following the inability of the former governor of Lagos State to meet with the traditional rulers led by Olubadan, a powerful delegation led by the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Chief Sunday Dare was at the Alarere residence of the Olubadan to deliver the message of apology sent by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Oba Balogun in his reaction said as traumatic as the waiting could be, “I can understand and I strongly feel for him. Having been a political player before and campaigned for elective office, I know what it means. I empathize with him and I don’t envy him at all. Tell him that his message resonates well and will deliver his message to my brothers in the traditional system”, the one time Senator of the Federal Republic added.
Chief Dare, accompanied by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Musiliu Olaide Akinremi, former Chairman of Oluyole Local Government in the state, Hon. Kehinde Olaosebikan and one other chieftain of the party had told Oba Balogun who had by his side his kid brother and a serving Senator, Dr. Kola Balogun that Asiwaju Tinubu felt pained about the disappointment his inability to meet with the royal fathers caused.
According to the Minister, “our leader felt pained by the situation and his failure to meet our royal fathers as scheduled was not his making. The situation was basically beyond his control and this informed the raising of this team to come and tender this message of unreserved apology.
“It is not in Asiwaju’s character to look down on anybody, not to talk of our revered royal fathers, who are held in a very high esteem. We are cultured and and cannot and will not do anything to erode our cherished traditional institution. Our leader has directed us to inform Your Imperial Majesty that he would come back and by that time, it would be purely to meet you, our fathers”, Chief Dare added.
