The Society for Digital Newspaper Owners of Nigeria {SDNON} recently paid a courtesy visit to its Grand Patron, The Olowu of Owu Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, Tegbosun III.
Speaking at the Palace, the President of SDNON, Mr Femi Davies informed the Oba that the members of the society had first and foremost come to identify with him as father, and the association is optimistic that wealth of experience of the traditional ruler in several of his previous capacities at the state and national levels will be of tremendous benefit to the association. The President also took the opportunity to intimate His Royal Majesty of the association’s plans in 2021.
In recognition of the Oba being a great lover of Nigeria’s’ media practitioners, His Royal Majesty was then formally presented with a belated birthday gift and an award of excellence.
Responding, the sophisticated Monarch used the opportunity to shed more light on how God used Former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai to halt a major barrier that has become a messy situation in Owu-kuta.
“For several years, my people have been praying, waiting for a miracle. My people have been looking for means to construct a bridge, which links Kuta with Ede; the bridge had been a generational request and dream of my people and this was unfulfilled for over a hundred years. From my palace to Ede, it should not take more than 30 minutes’ drive, but there was an obstacle; the Osun River, which made what was supposed to be a smooth passage impossible.
Since the colonial era, my forefathers and Ede people collaborated to have the bridge done but they could not. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president, being the Balogun of Owu, while in power flew here twice and included the bridge in the national budget, but it got no cash backing. The former governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who is a friend of mine, had it in the budget too but there was no money to construct the bridge.
Eventually, God raised the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai for me. I approached him and requested for just one assistance and he agreed to help out. He constructed the bridge free of charge, without charging us a dime. He helped to break the Jericho wall. Kuta people will never forget this in their lifetime; the coming generations too will not. We are eternally grateful to him and the Nigerian Army.
If this was to be influenced by a politician, Kuta would continue to give unalloyed support to the political party such a person belongs to. The prosperity of the town is tied to that road. We were landlocked. You could only access Kuta one way. But now, all that is history. Buratai is a jinx-breaker.”
However, His Royal Majesty thanked the President and the Delegation for their visit and promised them that he will do everything in his power to see the association and its members get to their zenith in the Media world. The Oba assured them of his continuous support and prayers.
