The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu on Saturday described the Chairman of Rite Foods, Asiwaju Sulaiman Adegunwa as a living legend and one of the greatest sons of Africa who should be emulated in the efforts to develop continent.
President Tinubu represented by his Vice, Sen Kashim Shettima disclosed this during the installation of Adegunwa and his wife, Hajia Fatima Adegunwa as the Asiwaju of Ijebuland and Yeye Asiwaju Arobake of Ijebuland respectively held at Awujale pavilion, Ijebu Ode.
The installation had in attendance Gov Dapo Abiodun, his deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Mrs Bola Obasanjo, former governors of Ogun State; Sen Ibikunle Amosun, Chief Segun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel currently representing Ogun East at the senate.
Others were the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Dr Sunny Kuku, the Secretary to Ogun State government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, Paramount rulers for Yewa and Egbaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and Oba Adedotun Gbadebo respectively, among others.
President Tinubu, who spoke shortly after the installation of the business mogul as the 3rd Asiwaju of Ijebuland, described him as a striking personality of immense humility despite his invaluable contributions to business enterprise and creations of jobs for thousands of Nigerians.
The President said "as beautiful as we all look in the various attires we are putting on so is the beauty of our diversity, so is the beauty of our heritage, so is the beauty of our rich culture which lies in our agelong traditions.
"Therefore as we celebrate the conferment of Asiwaju of Ijebuland on Pa Sulaiman Adegunwa and Yeye Asiwaju Arobake of Ijebuland on his wife, we have to recognise that Dr Sulaiman Adegunwa is a legend of his time.
"He is one of the greatest son of Africa, he is one of the greatest sons of Ijebuland and he is one of the greatest sons of Nigeria who has actively contributed to the advancement of industry and enterprise in Nigeria.
Tinubu hailed the unusual business acumen and resilience of Adegunwa who started out as a photographer and went ahead to be a major player in the business world adding great values to socio-economic development of the country.
The President also lauded Adegunwa for his various phenomenal philanthropic acts across the country saying that he is really worthy of the honour bestowed on him and his wife.
He urged Nigerians to take a cue from the selfless leadership and the impactful life of Asiwaju Adegunwa and keep supporting government at all levels to make life better for the people.
Tinubu said that his government remained committed to pursuing efforts that will continue to engender peaceful coexistence and preserve our agelong traditions and culture that bind us together as one indivisible entity.
Speaking earlier, Gov Dapo Abiodun described Adegunwa as an astute business mogul and reputable philanthropist whose life remains a source of encouragement to others.
Gov Abiodun said that by sheer act of vision and innovation, Adegunwa who started out as a photographer has evolved and grown to be a major creator of wealth in Nigeria diversifying into food production, banking, the agricultural sector among others.
The governor specifically lauded the industrialist for his love for excellence in the development of the educational sector saying that Adegunwa's footprints in infrastructural development are very visible in many of the tertiary institutions owned by the state government.
Gov Abiodun, while congratulating Asiwaju Adegunwa and his wife, Hajia Fatima Adegunwa on the befitting honour bestowed on them by Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, disclosed that the business mogul remains a pride of the state and a personality worthy of emulation by all.
In his short remark, Asiwaju Adegunwa thanked Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona for deeming it fit to honour him and his wife with the foremost chieftaincy titles.
The industrialist pleged to remain committed to serving humanity and uplifting the socio-economic development across Ijebuland and Nigeria as a whole.
Adegunwa and his wife had earlier taken oath of office as the third Asiwaju of Ijebuland and Yeye Asiwaju Arobake of Ijebuland respectively afterwhich both were equally turbanned by the Muslim clerics.
The title of Asiwaju of Ijebuland was first held by the late Chief Samuel Olatubosun Sonibare, a property merchant and notable politician during the first republic.
He was succeeded by the former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Late Prof Adebayo Adedeji who died in April 2018.
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