In his last ditch efforts to capture votes of South West electorates, President Goodluck Jonathan paid a visit to the palace of Oba Sikirulai Adetona, The Awujale of Ijebu Land amidst fanfare.

The visit which is part of his series of such to notable monarchs in the region in recent times.

The President whose arrival into the ancient city not only set the town agog but also heralded glamour.

The entourage of the President which includes Former Governor Gbenga Daniel, National Chairman of PDP Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State and several other chieftains of the party.

While extolling the virtues of the Ijebus, President Jonathan vowed to transform the city.

According to him “Ijebuland is a great land and there’s no government that will neglect the people of Ijebuland, I have to take that very seriously. We promised as a party and as a government that we will make sure that we don’t play with the unity of this country, we will do all we can to bring Nigeria together, all what we can to make sure that we pioneer economic activities the Ijebus are well known in the area of commerce and industry, even as a child, I was shown how hardworking the Ijebus are before I travelled to any Ijebuland”.

President Jonathan said further that; “We will also partner with people across the nation, men and women, for the purpose of moving this country forward”.

Your Royal Majesty, let me re-assure you that we will do our best, we have come here to seek for your blessing and I led the team in 2007 when I was running as the Vice President to see you and 2011, we met again, not in the palace and today we are lucky led by the National Chairman and I believe that this our interaction with the people will help us prepare, we have received the address from the people. And we will work with it, that is why we have a number of Government functionaries with me so that after the elections, we will put this on the table, and look at the demands of the people from all parts of the country, and see how we can co-opt some especially those that can encourage commerce and industry, education and in terms of health service delivery and in terms of infrastructure, it is basic because for us to progress as a nation, infrastructure must be in place and the power infrastructure which is a priority to this government.

‎Responding, the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona said, “It is not possible for any Oba, not even in Ijebu, in Yorubaland, to go out and say vote for this, vote for that, that person is looking for trouble, but give them the opportunity to present their programme so that people can make up their minds on what to do, I think this is a very sound democratic principle and that is what I have decided to do, to give you the opportunity of meeting with the people”.

He opined “Once, they see you as a person, how beautiful you are, whether to engage with you or not, to listen to you and see if there are areas where we can meet, as a result, everybody congregating here, they belong to different groups, there are PDP members, APC members, APGA, etc. they belong to various interests, and when they come, they get to the gate, they shed their togas”.

He said further; “PDP will remove their PDP, APC will remove their own, APGA will remove their own, they are going to the palace, to meet their ruler, their paramount ruler, to receive that important august visitor who is coming to their lands and give him all honour that is entitle to him”.

“In all our churches, after prayer, they will pray for you, pray for the Governor, pray for me and all their leaders both in the mosque and churches as it is so required both in the bible and also in the Qur’an, therefore, I thank you Your Excellency for having this opportunity to address our people to listen to you, to hear your programme, what you have in stock for them and we shall all pray to God for guidance, because the Muslims would say ‘guide us to the right path’, and God will show us the way because He is the only one that can show the way to people, therefore, I thank you Your Excellency most sincerely for making this trip, God knows the best, He is the ruler of the Universe, He knows everything and He can do everything, everything is possible in the presence of God that is why I occasionally go to the Church to put up a song”.

“Each time I have course, occasionally to talk to our people, I have always told them, in churches and mosques that when you’re going to vote, make sure you back your sons and daughters who will give something back to you, not the ‘Ojelus’, those who will be honest with you, who knows the way of God, those are the people you should vote for, not those who will give you two three spoons and mortgage your future, it is not right”.

“I am sure over the years, there has been improvement but this election is full of tension, I don’t know why it is so, about 55-years, I have never seen any election that is full of tension like the one we are having now, my prayer is God should guide us and make sure that there’s peace, harmony and tranquility in the country”