Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene
OpenLife Nigeria reports that following the Supreme Court judgement that validated President Bola Ahmed Tinubus victory in the February 25 president contest, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State, has extended felicitations to Tinubu and its All Progressives Party, APC.
In the same breath, Chief Aguene congratulates Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos who recently clocked 80th year.
In this interview with OpenLife, the businessman and frontline art collector, calls on President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu, an advocate for the secession and independence of Biafra from Nigeria, who has been in detention for several months
After several months of litigation, the Supreme Court has finally given judgement to Tinubu. What can you say about this?
First, I am congratulating Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the third time especially in this last bus stop which is the Supreme Court judgement on who won the February 25 presidential election.
I have confidence in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaban. He is a man of wisdom and common sense. He has the spirit of sacrifice. These qualities make him a great leader. It is his time. Everything in life has time table.
Nigeria will change for the better in no distant time under Tinubu’s leadership. So, what he needs from all Nigerians is support and we should all come together to give him that supports.
Now, my advice is that he should continue as a good leader which we know him for. Also, he should carry Ndigbo along as a leader.
I , Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, have spoken to Igbo people severally in many gatherings that they should continue doing what they are known for by developing anywhere they are in Nigeria.
That is one of the parameters to show that they are supporting the government of their country. They should be law abiding citizens and obey all rules and regulations.
I advise my Ndigbo that we should be acting like those in the military-Army, Navy, Airforce, Police etc-who serve in any government irrespective of the party or who takes over as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the country.
When the time of God comes, what will make the Igbo man to be the president of Nigeria, cannot be challenged. Any plan to stop it will fail. That is God for you.
Importantly, no government can exhaust the resources or positions of Nigeria until Jesus Christ come. We should therefore, have it in mind that tomorrow will be better than today. There is nothing to worry about, Ndigbo.
We can only achieve greatness by peace and not violence. But we should be watchful of what we say Ndigbo especially concerning the government of the country and leaders that we are part and parcel of.
My other important advice to Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that he should know that every human being has limitations.
Once anyone forgets this, the end will be catastrophic, no matter the position, contacts, businesses empire including how much is in all the banks in the whole world.
Clearly, some followers give leaders pieces of advice that are not healthy because of personal interest.
I therefore advice Tinubu that he should compare and contrast any advice given to him through prayers so that Almighty God , who is the ultimate, will guide him in the execution of any advice from anyone.
Most presidents fail due to bad advice. Some cabinet members could advice their Presidents in different countries to imprison any one, order shoot on sight and get away with it because he is all and all.
But they forget that a leader can use power to deal with the commonest person but unknown to him, God has interest in that person and the arrow of God will begin to hunt and the down fall of that leader will start from one problem to another, little by little.
And the leader or President will end up miserably. Above all, whatever anyone position in life, we must understand that there are limitations for human beings. God is the only one who has no limitation.
My sincere joy is that old age and death have no medicine for everyone. That is why no doctor can help himself when the time comes.
Any leader who understands this philosophy will always bequeath a wonderful legacies and he will always be remembered with his generations with applause.
When Saddam Hussein forgot this message, he ended up miserably with his second in command, Alli Chemical who is his cousin and who destroyed part of Iran with dangerous chemical and other generals in Saddam’s team.
That is one of the reasons I am the only one speaking on behalf of Ndigbo today in Lagos because of my interest of Ndigbo to be part of Nigeria especially Lagos State government since the beginning of my leadership in June 2018.
I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, once again. He is a leader of great quality. Nigerians have got it right. Let us be patient and support him for things to begin to get better.
What do you think should be the priority of Ndigbo now that the Tinubu’s government has stabilized through Supreme Court judgment?
Yes, with the Supreme Court judgement, it is confirmed that the government is stable. So, he has to carry Ndigbo along.
Above all, he should release Nnamdi Kanu. He should respect the rule of law because the court has granted Nnamdi Kanu bail.
The Court has also given President Tinubu mandate of leadership as the 5th President of Nigeria since the rebirth of democracy in Nigeria in 1999.
Our President, Tinubu, if you do this by releasing Nnamdi Kanu, everybody in Nigeria , including the international community will see it as an indelible mark from you.
The undiluted peace will bind you with Ndigbo and Ndigbo can dine and wine with you the same way some Yorubas will do.
If you release Nnamdi Kanu in no distant time, no human being on planet earth will doubt that you are a man of justice. That will be the best you can do for Ndigbo today.
We observe that you have been very close to Oba Akiolu. He just marked his 80th birthday. What do you have to say?
I wish Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu a happy 80th birthday. When I won the Ohanaeze Ndigbo president in Lagos State in 2018, he was the first traditional ruler I visited.
I presented a beautiful 4ft height master piece art work of a queen kneeling down for Oba, made out of wood and dated 1982.
I was accompanied by former governor of Niger and Lagos States who later became Vice Military Head of State, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe including late Ambassador George Obiozor and some Igbo market leaders some Ohanaeze executives.
Since then, we have been relating as father and son. His intervention in the issues of Ndigbo mainland traders especially those who are into trading of different products has been worthy of emulation. He has showed us fatherly interventions. We are happy with him.
That singular visit I facilitated has been wonderful to us in Ndigbo in Lagos. I used the visit to settle the controversy between Ndigbo and the Oba Palace in the 2015 election that brought Akin Ambode when lot of Igbos were support Jimi Agbaje including myself before I realized that it is unhealthy for someone to be against the government of where he resides.
When I took my people to join the government of the day, we have made a lot of differences in Lagos.
Now, I am using this opportunity of the 80th birthday of our Oba to lend his voice as one of the first class Obas to speak to President Tinubu to release Nnamdi Kanu to us, Ndigbo.
That will enable us to find out if those who are terrorizing Igbo land are Nnamdi Kanu’s supporters or bandits who are taking advantage of the crises or it is Nigerian government that is dis organizing the Igbos not to be stable so that they will not have their rightful position in government.
Our Oba should see this as a legacy which is a priority for any leader both living or dead.
I wish the Oba long life with good health.
I also join other people of goodwill to thank God for his life today and still counting and we are going to celebrate the Oba’s birthday in Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly.
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