TheCable

Adeyeye Ogunwusi, ooni of Ife, has asked Kingsley Moghalu, presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), to “fire on”.

According to Jide Akintunde, spokesman of YPP presidential campaign council, the ooni said this when he received Moghalu at his palace in Ile-Ife, Osun state, on Friday.

Moghalu was at the palace to pay homage to the monarch. The visit was part of his seven-day campaign tour of south-western states, which kicked off in Lagos on January 26.

“From the throne of Oduduwa, we are proud of you. Fire on, fire on and fire on,” he said.

“I watched the presidential debate. Every word you spoke conveyed your conviction and passion to genuinely serve the country.

“I have followed you and your activities judiciously for many years, you have a clear plan for Nigeria. Don’t be surprised that you are the light for even the established politicians.”

The ooni urged the Nigerian youth to “know their position and their rightful place in leadership”, adding that the “young and vibrant Moghalu won’t let you down”.

Speaking on the longstanding ties between the Yoruba and Igbo ethnic nationalities, the monarch said: “You are welcome to the land of Oduduwa. We are one. Igbo is spoken here in the palace. The Yorubas plant kolanut because the Igbos discovered it.”

In his response, Moghalu described the monarch as “a great and enterprising leader”.

He promised to unite Nigerians if elected, while extolling the virtues of the Yorubas as “a people of great learning”.

“I am a Nigerian candidate for the Nigerian presidency. I am running for president to unite Nigeria, wage a successful war against poverty and unemployment, and restore Nigeria’s standing in the world,” he said.