Oooni of Ife, President Bola Tinubu
Royal support for Forest Guard plan, international reforms
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has expressed strong support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership and security reforms, especially the proposed Forest Guard initiative aimed at tackling insecurity in Nigeria.
During a courtesy visit to the President in Lagos to mark the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations, the revered monarch praised Tinubu’s bold approach to repositioning Nigeria both domestically and on the global stage.
“I’m here to greet Mr. President for the Sallah break and to commend him for the great things he’s doing for our country,” the Ooni told journalists after a closed-door meeting with the President.
The monarch disclosed that he had recently returned from an official trip to Kazakhstan, where he observed a growing interest in Nigeria from the international community. According to him, the President’s economic reforms and foreign policy strategies are gradually restoring investor confidence in Nigeria.
“I went to Kazakhstan and brought back encouraging feedback. The good work being done by Mr. President is opening Nigeria up to global partnerships,” he noted.
Oba Ogunwusi particularly highlighted Tinubu’s efforts to stabilize the macroeconomic environment, pointing to improvements in the nation’s currency exchange policy.
“For the first time in history, there is no more arbitrage. Investors can bring dollars into Nigeria and repatriate them freely—no more dual exchange rates between the central bank and the parallel market,” he said.
On the issue of national security, the Ooni lauded the administration’s proposed Forest Guard structure, which aims to deploy trained personnel to monitor and secure forests across the country.
“We’re pleased with the new Forest Guard structure and the plan to expand the police force to comb forests in the North and South. Once security is in place, it creates a solid foundation for investment to thrive,” the monarch stated.
He described President Tinubu as a bold leader committed to repositioning Nigeria for growth and prosperity, urging Nigerians to adopt a more optimistic view of the country’s progress.
“It’s time for all of us to see Nigeria as a cup half full, not half empty,” the Ooni concluded.
The visit underscores growing support for Tinubu’s policies among traditional rulers and comes at a time when the administration is intensifying efforts to tackle insecurity and boost investor confidence.
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