50th Birthday: Ooni Inaugurates Foundation, Unveils South West Monarchs' Interventions On Education

The Ooni of Ife and Natural Head of Yoruba race worldwide, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has inaugurated a Foundation for Traditional Rulers' Intervention on Truancy Prevention, School Enrollment and Engagement expected to officially unveil plans and programs to curb the Out of School menace in Yoruba states of the six South West states, with Kogi and Kwara states ahead of his 50th birthday anniversary in October this year.

Headed by HRM Oba (Prof.) Adekunle Adeogun-Okunoye Oyedeji II, the Eburu of Iba, Osun State, the Foundation has other traditional rulers across the six southwest zone as well as Kogi and Kwara States including; Onigogo of Igogo (Ekiti State), Larooka of Wanikkin Ife(Osun State), Olukotun of Ikotun-Ile (Kwara State), Adeboruwa of Igbogbo (Lagos State), Oloba-Uso of Oba-Uso (Ondo State), Onpetu of Ijeru (Oyo State)

and the Olujumu of Ijumu (Kogi State) as Directors while the Ooni's Director of Media and Public Affairs, Otunba Moses Olafare serves as Deputy Secretary of the Foundation.

Briefing newsmen yesterday shortly after the inaugural meeting held at the Banquet hall of the Ooni's Palace in Ile-Ife the Eburu of Iba, HRM Oba (Prof.) Adekunle Adeogun-Okunoye

explained that, the Ooni has put in place the foundation in fulfilment of his quest to ensure that the traditional institutions in Nigeria and Yoruba states in Nigeria particularly must work for the masses especially complementing government's efforts in curbing truancy and out-of-school syndrome in the society 

“this organization is a creation of our father the Ooni of Ife in his capacity as the overall leader of all the traditional Rulers in Yourubaland which covers the present six South West States and Kogi and Kwara states. We've been saddled with the responsibility of implementing a program for traditional rulers' intervention on truancy prevention, school enrollment, and engagement In the Ooni’s readiness to complement efforts of the government at all levels in addressing major social problems of truancy and out of school children. With this development, our Arole Oduduwa the Ooni will be engaging all traditional rulers in Yorubaland in the implementation of a community based traditional approach to solve the menace of truancy and out of school children". The Eburu explained.

The committee's Chairman who doubles as the Foundation's Director General, the Eburu of Iba added that Ooni Ogunwusi has premised the program on the on-going agitation of the traditional rulers for constitutional role and the persistent efforts of traditional rulers to work with government on addressing challenges, especially those that directly affect youths and girls.

“Secretary of the Foundation, Professor Michael Adeyeye also told the newsmen that Ooni Ogunwusi as the head of the Yoruba race in Nigeria and globally, has considered the initiative as a veritable strategy to give the monarch a meaningful, measurable, and effective eligibility and competence for constitutional roles in governance while the national assembly is still working on reviewing of the constitution to recognize the important roles being performed by the monarchs.

“Our nation is blessed with a very good traditional governance system whereby all and each community are under a traditional ruler. We are also blessed to have a forthright and visionary leader in our current Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula who has been leading our race very creditably well in the last 9 years"

“The innovative program will enable us to harness the opportunity provided by the established traditional structure to work with the school systems to prevent and control truancy, increase school enrollment and bring all stakeholders together for overall success of school children." Professor Adeyeye said.

According to the Professor of Governance Studies, an experienced lecturer and policy analyst, Adeyeye listed specific goals of the program to be unveiled by the foundation include but not limited to;

1.To collaborate with school authorities at all levels (local, state and Federal), law enforcement agencies, courts, and local, state and federal agencies to support youth and their families to be engaged at school.

2.To pay special attention to truancy, school engagement, attendance, dropout prevention, and the mental health needs of students and staff using traditional institutions.

3.To improve school engagement to ensure school success for at-promise youth and their families.

4.To engage in measurement of school success in terms of positive educational outcomes leading to high school graduation and a transition to continuous learning in an educational or work setting.

5.To prevent truancy, dropout, sexual harassment and bullying at schools.

6.To engage students and families in being actively involved in learning at school.

7. To promote attendance, attachment and achievement through traditional advocacy methods

8. To support the indigent but very brilliant school children with necessary scholarship opportunities.

Information from the Ooni's Palace has revealed that the Foundation will function as an NGO with main fundings from the Ooni who has already earmarked a sum of 50 million Naira as a take off grant while relevant well meaning Yoruba sons and daughters across the world will be contacted for financial support.

Just as the Nigeria's president, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently at Owerri in Imo state inaugurated Ooni Ogunwusi as Chairman, Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council(SNTRC) It will be recalled also, that, Led by the Obaro of Kabba, HRM, Oba Dele Owoniyi, in his capacity as leader of the Okun Traditional Rulers Council Of Kogi State, the monarchs from Yoruba speaking parts of Kogi and Kwara states have appealed to Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi to help their people reunite with their kinsmen in Yoruba land. This was while the were at the Ooni's Palace in Ile-Ife to officially present the new Elulu of Mopa kingdom in Kogi State HRM Oba Muyiwa Ibeun who paid his allegiance of loyalty to the Arole Oduduwa.