President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received
the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, in his Ikoyi residence in Lagos State.
On Sunday, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwunsi, praised the president’s initiatives to elevate Nigeria’s standing internationally and expressed his support for the government’s recently introduced forest guard security framework.
Speaking with journalists after the closed-door meeting, the foremost Yoruba monarch said his visit was primarily to mark the Sallah break with the President and to personally debrief the President on his recent trip to Kazakhstan.
“I’m here to greet Mr. President for the Salah break and also to appreciate all the great things he’s doing for our dear country,” the Ooni stated.
“I went to a country called 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.”
Foreign investment
Oba Ogunwusi highlighted how Nigeria’s international standing is improving under Tinubu’s leadership, especially in terms of foreign investment and macroeconomic policy stability.
“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, and we don’t need to leave everything to the government,” he said.
The monarch also emphasized the evolving and increasingly important role of traditional rulers towards nation-building.
“We traditional rulers should lead by example, work in tandem with the government, and give hope to our youth. This is another testimony of hope for Nigerian youth,” he said.
On security, Oba Ogunwusi expressed optimism about the Tinubu administration’s efforts, praising the proposed restructuring of the Forest Guard system as a critical step toward lasting peace and investor confidence.
Grassroots security
The monarch lauded President Tinubu’s push for economic reforms and grassroots security reinforcement amid ongoing national challenges.
“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 said.
“Once security is addressed, there will be a solid platform for investment to flow into Nigeria.”
The Ooni reaffirmed his support for President Tinubu’s leadership, calling him “a bold president committed to a better Nigeria,” and urged all Nigerians to adopt a more optimistic outlook: “It’s about time for all of us in Nigeria to come together and look at Nigeria as a cup half full, not half empty.” The Ooni Ife added.