I don’t want to be around when another Olowu will emerge — Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said, in his lifetime, he does not wish to witness the emergence of another Olowu of Owu kingdom in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Obasanjo said this on Thursday while inaugurating a 300 -man planning committee for the installation and coronation of the new Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola.

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 The elder statesman, who is the Balogun (Chief Warrior) of Owu Kingdom, led the kingmakers in the selection process, which produced Oba Matemilola after the late Oba Adegboyega Dosumu, joined his ancestors on December 12, 2021.

 Obasanjo, 85, said at his age, he would not wish to be alive to witness the reign of another Olowu of Owu.

 “I pray I don’t witness (reign of) another Olowu of Owu after our new Kabiyesi.

 “What that means is that, Kabiyesi will live long and as an old man, I will not be around when another Olowu will be installed,” Obasanjo who spoke in Yoruba said.

While inaugurating the committee led by a retired General, Ekundayo Opaleye, Obasanjo charged all the members to work with sincerity of purpose in line with the standards set.

 He said “We are setting standards. The standard that will be emulated by people in the South West region. Owu Kingdom is our collective responsibility. We must all cooperate with the new monarch.

 “I am part of this because we want to incorporate the installation of our new king with our annual Odun Omo Olowu celebration.

 “We have a lot to do for the development of Owu Kingdom. We want all Owu communities to know that we now have a new king on the throne. We are doing this to ensure that we take care of their interest.

“I urged all committee members to work together without any in-fighting that could stand as a clog in the wheel of progress.”

The chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Opaleye, said the constitution of members of the committee was an opportunity to serve and be part of history.