Ooni Of Ife Urges Nigerian Youth To Emulate Gen. Akinrinade’s Lifestyle
Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
Reported by Abimbola Obatayo, Ibadan
….. as Dignitaries Storm Ibadan For His 80th Birthday
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Enitan Ogunwusi Adeyeye has urged Nigerian Youths to emulate the lifestyle of the retired General Alani Akinrinade to their self development and of Nation.
He made this statement today 3rd October while addressing newsmen at the International Conference Center University of Ibadan, during the Eighty years celebration of the retired General Alani Akinrinade
” Gen. Alani dedicated his entire life time to the development of his country, especially people his tradition, I mean the southwest, and today all the notable people gathered here to celebrate him.
“He put his life on the lifeline during the regime of the military in Nigeria, he was attack, his house was fire bomb, he had to at some point travel out this country on an exile, he is a dogged fighter of democracy in Nigeria.
“During the days of NADECO he was a strong pillar of the group, his entire family was humiliated, and despite all these he did not gave up the fighter on actualising democracy process for this country, and it on this note that I will urge the Youths of this country to emulate his doggedness and his bravery towards achieving a great and better results not only for themselves but also for this nation as a whole.
“He is celebrated today by all the Nigerians and not only we in the Southwest alone, you can see the likes of Gen. T. Y. Danjuma here, the Gen. Alani Isama, here is the gathering of who is who in Nigeria and we are all so happy for him and for the his life that is well spent, we still needs him, he used to call me and even at times come to me for personal advise, he is an elderly person and a true born of Yorubaland. Ooni said.
Gov Fayemi of Ekiti State also said the celebrant is an icon who deserves to be celebrated.
“General Alani Akinrinade is a key pillar in the struggle of democracy that we all enjoyed in Nigeria today, he fought with his money, time, resources, and even with his presence to make sure we have true democracy in Nigeria.”
He was on ground in London at various occasion to protest against the then military rule in Nigeria, though he was a military man but his duggedness in fighting the military back to their Barracks is what really encouraged the likes of us then.
He was the one who bought the first set of equipment that we are using at our radio station in London then, though the radio was broadcasting from the underground then, he was always on ground we have to stage our protest at the Nigeria Embassies in London he was always on ground both at rain and come sunshine, I think the Nigerian Youths should emulate this gesture for the development of themselves and that of the nation at large.
Also in his speech, Osun State Governor Mr. Gboyega Oyetola said the celebrant is one of those that made democracy process a possible solution to Nigerians.
“He deserves to be be celebrated with all his struggle for the democracy process in Nigeria, he is not a man of the southwest alone so the Celebrations is not limited to us alone as you can see that this gathering is not limited to us the Yoruba alone.
The event was well attended by de creme de la creme of the society: Ooni of Ife Oba Enitan Ogunwusi Adeyeye, General Alani Isama. Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, Chief Alex Duduyemi, Cheif Bisi Akande, Osun State Governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Former Governors of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala and Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, some retired Army Generals and the Old Students of Oke Offa Grammar School Ibadan, amongst others.
