Owa Obokun Adimula Seat:Prince Stephen Adebowale ADEYEMI ( Ofokutu) Show Interest
AS the exalted seat of Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland became vacant some months ago now with the demise of Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, as the 40th Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland, distinguished Prince (s) from the land have begin to show and eye the stool.
Amongst those showing interest is Prince Stephen Adebowale ADEYEMI ( Ofokutu).
His interest and intentions were made as follows with his robust pedigree in the public and humanity service.
Texts...
"Your Royal Highnesses, princes and princesses, family, friends and associates, ladies and gentlemen of the press.
I wish to congratulate my entire people of Ijesaland for successfully bringing to an end the 90 days mourning period which traditionally marked the transition of our revered monarch, His Imperial Majesty Oba Dr Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, CFR our 40th Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland.
We are all witnesses to the grandeur of the traditional ceremonies and fair well parties on display in the last 90 days. It is our fervent prayer that God in His infinite mercy grants him eternal rest and console his immediate family and the entire people of Ijesa.
It is also our hope and prayer that the Good Lord will replace him with an Owa who will take Ijesaland to greater heights from where he stopped.
Having observed the mourning period faithfully as dictated by our tradition and culture, I now feel free to express my love and desire to serve my people of Ijesaland for the rest of my life with all that God has endowed me as the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland.
My reasoning is this: I have served my country at a high level as a minister of the federal republic and member of the Federal Executive Council. I have served in the foreign land of Canada, I have excelled in my chosen profession as a surgeon, I have managed arguably the topmost and largest tertiary health institution in this country. Why then should I back away when an opportunity to serve my people of Ijesaland directly such as this arises. My brief profile attached to this speech, to be presented later says it all.
Should God Almighty and my good Ijesa people along with the powers that be grant this prayer, my priority will be to bring together as one all my people of Ijesaland. As the saying goes, “ United we stand, divided we fall.”
We have vast land, fertile and rich in minerals, our people are industrious and enterprising and our youths are smart and creative. What is therefore required is to come together, collaborate and cooperate as a people and explore our God given endowment . I fully intend to work with our traditional rulers and leaders of thought and entrepreneurs to achieve this goal.
Without peace and security not much can be achieved. I will work closely with the various law enforcement agencies and community leaders to ensure a peaceful environment to allow for development and economic growth.
Looking back at our history reveals that we as a people have been robbed of opportunities in the past to develop due to the fact that land was not made readily available. I intend to work with all stakeholders to put a stop to this trend in such a way that will benefit all. This effort will cut across the six local governments in a cooperative arrangement to make way for uniform agricultural and industrial development of Ijesaland thereby creating jobs.
The office of Owa Obokun is not a political one with governmental powers and resources. The occupier of the stool must be able and willing to work with the powers that be and other interest groups to attract development and growth to his domain. In that respect I intend to work collaboratively with Federal and state governments, local and foreign investors and Ijesa sons and daughters in diaspora to attract development projects to our land.
Ijesaland is blessed with gold and other minerals. But are the people benefiting? No! Rather foreigners and non indigenes are the beneficiaries, leaving our people to grapple with the effects of land degradation and environmental pollution. As Owa Obokun, God willing ( Deo Volente)I will work for a reorientation in the industry to encourage local production of finished products rather than just carting away the raw materials.
Now coming home to my area of specialisation, health and education, I plan to garner support for primary healthcare, child and maternal health in order to reduce mortality rate and improve life expectancy in Ijesaland. This is without prejudice to geriatric health for which I have already shown support when the Ijesa Geriatric Center was being built.
Education is the cornerstone of any meaningful development. As Owa I will work hard to support primary education in order to reduce illiteracy. I will also promote technical education in order to tackle unemployment especially among the youths.
Ijesa Cultural Center
In order to sustain , safeguard and promote our culture and traditions there is urgent need to have an institution to be in charge. In this respect I plan to work for the establishment of an Ijesa Cultural Center. This will include a Museum for Ijesa arts and crafts, and a Hall of Fame to house the memory of ijesa sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves. This will act as a stimulus for our people especially the young ones, to excell.
I cannot end this address without paying tribute to my family, the Ofokutu Royal Family that nurtured me and of which I am so very proud.Also to Oro Oluodo Ruling House where I originate from.
This tribute will take the form of Oriki of our progenitor, Owa Obokun Adimula Oro Oluodo. With your permission , ladies and gentlemen, I am about to recite part of the oriki.
PROFILE:
Professor Stephen Debo ADEYEMI ( Ofokutu)
BORN: into the OFOKUTU Royal Family of Ijesaland
Date: 21 December,1942
RESIDENCE:
a) 3, Adeyemi Ofokutu Street Off Iyemogun Road, Ilesa
b) 4, Oyo Close, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos
EDUCATION;
a)Secondary :
-West African School Cert - Grade one
- Higher School Cert( Physics, Chemistry, Zoology)
-Tertiary:
MB,BS ( Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery) - Unilag 1969
Postgraduate :
University of Toronto training in Surgery
a) Fellow,Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Canada ( FRCS (C) in General Surgery- 1975
b)Certification in Paediatric Surgery by the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Canada-1978
c) Fellow National Postgraduate Medical College ( Surgery)
d) Fellow West African College of Surgeons-1979
EMPLOYMENTS:
1)Chief Resident Surgery- St Joseph’s Hospital, Toronto Canada- 1974
2) Chief Resident, Surgery- Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada -1976
3) Consultant/ Lecturer, Surgery- Lagos University Teaching Hospital ( LUTH)/ Unilag- 1979-89
4) Associate Prof Surgery, Unilag -1989
5) Professor of Surgery- Unilag 1992
ACHIEVEMENTS;
a) Training of doctors and surgeons
b) established Paediatric Surgery as a specialty
c) Separation of asymmetric Siamese twins
d) Research and publication in local and international medical journals
6, CHIEF MEDICAL DIRECTOR and CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER , LUTH-1995-98
ACHIEVEMENTS;
a) Bus transport for staff
b) Reorganisation of Hospital departments
c)Establishment of work Task Force
d) Reorientation of Engineering Department into a work force
e) Introduced direct payment of Hospital fees into the bank thus saving millions of naira hitherto siphoned
f)Building of Resource Center harbouring six training schools
g)payment of allowances three months in advance to enable staff pay their rent and childrens’ school fees.
h) drainage of the entire LUTH environment to tackle flooding
I)Privatised cleaning and security
j) Introduced LUTH Day for attracting friends for LUTH thereby raising funds for the Hospital
k) Created recreation lounges for doctors and a Junior Staff Canteen
l) Conceptualised Hall 36, an Event Hall for raising funds for the Hospital
APPOINTMENTS
7) Honorable Minister of Health and member Federal Executive Council
Achievements:
a)Succeeded in completing the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital New Site at Naija
b) Reactivated work at the then new site of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and appointed the contractor who completed the construction of the Hospital which has since been in use.
c)Got approval and funding for a modern Outpatient department At OAUTH Complex, Ilesa, has since been in use
Also got approval for an ultramodern surgical theatre at the same hospital in Ilesa.
d)Upgrading of the Mortuary at the OAUTH Ile Ife
e)Established vaccine storage facilities in strategic parts of the country
f) Stopped payment of staff salaries in the Ministry of Health with one check, thereby saving saving six million naira every month that was hitherto going to fraudsters
g) Succeeded in passing into law the National Health Insurance Scheme after more than 32 years of failed attempts by previous administration for which I was honored with the national award of Commander Order of the Niger( CON)
h) I was fortunate to be part of the team led by HE General Abdulsalami Abubakar that midwifed the Military to Democracy transition for which I was also given an award .
MODEST CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ILESA:
a) Camp Stephen conceived by my Foundation, Professor Debo Adeyemi Foundation ( PRODAF) whose Motto is “ To Serve God and Humanity “ is situated at Ilesa/ Akure Expressway consisting of a 25 acre piece of land on which are presently standing a) Owa Ofokutu ( Memorial) Ecumenical Center built in memory of my great grandfather, Owa Obokun Adimula Ofokutu who welcomed the pioneer missionaries to Ijesaland and contributed to the establishment of Christianity in this part of the country. The Center consists presently of the Basilica of Christ, an auditorium big enough to seat 3,000 worshipers, Daniel House ( a Pastorium) and a Civic/ conference center.
b) the ultra modern palace of the Owa Obokun, and
c) Ijesa Geriatric Center
MAJOR HONORS/ AWARDS
1) Distinguished son of Osun State by the Osun State Government-1999
2) Distinguished Leadership Award by the Government of Lagos State-1999
3)Military to Democracy Transition Award by the Federal Government of Nigeria-1999
4 Commander Order of the Niger ( CON) by the Federal Government of Nigeria-2012
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