Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has appealed to Nigerians across ethnic, religious, and political lines to embrace love and unity for the progress of the nation.
Obi made the appeal on Sunday during a courtesy visit to the Olubadan-designate, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He said his visit was both to honour the traditional ruler ahead of his coronation and to extend his congratulations as the incoming 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“First, I’m here to pay my sincere respect to royalty, to the Olubadan-designate before the installation. I’m here to pay respect for the man I have deep respect for.
“My visit is to congratulate him as the next 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. My visit is about Nigeria, about selfless leadership, leadership that is committed to turning our society around.
“Can we unite and love each other to build a better country? We have no other country except this one. We must all build it together for the benefit of everybody,” Obi said.
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The former governor of Anambra State also highlighted Ibadan’s significance to the country’s political, social, and economic growth, noting that the city had long played a central role in Nigeria’s development.
According to him, Oba Ladoja’s experience as a former senator, governor, and businessman would position him to succeed in his new role.
“Ladoja will bring his wealth of experience to bear as Olubadan. Ibadan is very strategic and central to the development of Nigeria. And as a former senator, governor, business tycoon, he will have all what he needs to succeed. And I will support him as Olubadan for the sake of one Nigeria,” Obi added.
Oba Ladoja, in his response, described his ascension as an opportunity to serve rather than an avenue for glamour.
“I just see my appointment as Olubadan as another opportunity for service. Many people erroneously believe that the throne is for glamour. The time of glamour is gone; in contemporary times, it is about service, what you have on the table for the people in society,” the monarch-designate said.
Obi was accompanied by Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Lagos, and Yunusa Tanko, among others.
Also on Sunday, two federal lawmakers from Oyo State, Sina Oyedeji and Adebayo Adepoju of the Peoples Democratic Party, paid homage to the Olubadan-designate.
Speaking after their visit, they said Ladoja had urged them to remain committed to serving their constituents.
They noted, “We came here to pay homage to our Baba, the new Olubadan of Ibadanland. He is a big man in Nigeria. Like I told him, he is not Olubadan of Ibadanland, he is Olubadan of Nigeria. It is our duty to come and pay homage to him. We can’t wait till after coronation. He (Ladoja) advised us to do well, he told us to make sure that we deliver and do well for our people.”
