Ooni of Ife, King Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has vowed to use seven days of seclusion marking the beginning of Olojo festival to appease God in ending Nigeria’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike and for the 2023 elections.
He said ASUU strike has done a lot of damage to the economy of the nation while urging the Federal Government to see to the consideration of the lecturers so as to put an end to the strike.
The Olojo Festival is an ancient festival celebrated annually in Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
This festival is one of the popular festival in the Yoruba land, it was once described by King Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi as a festival that celebrate the Black race all over the world.
Ogunwusi insisted that it was a period of fasting and prayer to appease God and seek blessings for Nigeria, adding that there has never been a time that his prayer requests during the seclusion period was not answered by the Almighty God.
The Ooni of Ife, who appeared in his usual white traditional attire lace with colorful ancient beads, made the announcement public on his way out of the Ile Oodua Palace of Ife on Sunday.
The traditional ruler said he would also use the highly spiritual moment of seclusion as “a point of contact to God Almighty toward resolving all issues in Nigeria, as the country gears up for next year’s general election”.
Ogunwusi, also the Co-chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), said that the government must as a matter of urgency end the ASUU’s strike to avert the looming anger of Nigerian youths.
“Youths are angry and no one can blame them for that. Just imagine the number of months they have been kept out of schools.
“ASUU and government must unite and end this, because we cannot handle the anger of youths, if they go out of control. They have started blocking highways and even threatening to lock airports, that is an indication that they have been pushed to the wall. This is my seventh years on the throne and I have been serving humanity with special focus on youths in our country,” the Ooni of Ife said.
He further went on to add that, “It is avoidable and it should be ended by the government and ASUU for the benefit of our youths. Next year’s election is equally another strong prayer request with which I am proceeding into seclusion. I am praying that the process goes seamlessly acceptable to all for peace and prosperity of our land”.