Get Guardian on GoogleThe Orunja of Odigbo Kingdom in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Rufus Olugboyega Akinrinmade, has called on renowned businessman and philanthropist, Oladele Fajemirokun, to support the completion of a proposed palace hall and other development projects in the kingdom.
The monarch appealed while conferring on Fajemirokun the traditional title of Asoju Oba of Odigbo Kingdom at the weekend, in recognition of his contributions to the development of the community and humanity.
Akinrinmade said the kingdom expected the new titleholder to deploy his influence, resources and humanitarian disposition towards addressing some of its developmental needs.
He particularly identified the proposed palace hall as one of the projects requiring support, expressing the hope that Fajemirokun would assist the traditional institution in completing the facility.
“We have a lot of developmental projects. We are expecting Oladele Fajemirokun to use his humanitarian nature to help the Odigbo people.
“We want a befitting palace hall. Whatever Oladele Fajemirokun can do to help the Orunja of Odigbo Kingdom complete that hall will be highly appreciated,” the monarch said.
He explained that the conferment was based on Fajemirokun’s character, antecedents, philanthropy and relationship with the kingdom, stressing that traditional titles in Odigbo were not awarded for financial considerations.
“Odigbo is an ancient kingdom, and we don’t just give titles to anybody for monetary gain. We put a lot of things into consideration. Before we give the title, the person must be of good character, and he must live above expectations,” he said.
The monarch described Fajemirokun as a friend of Odigbo who had sustained and built on the business legacy of his late father, Henry Fajemirokun, a renowned Nigerian business tycoon.
According to him, the new title also carries the responsibility of strengthening the longstanding relationship between Odigbo and Ile-Oluji.
He urged Fajemirokun to sustain the friendship between the two communities and promote initiatives that would further advance their social and economic development.
Akinrinmade also acknowledged the contributions of Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi to the kingdom, saying her goodwill and relationship with the community were among the considerations surrounding the conferment.
Speaking on the 2027 general elections, the monarch expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing the administration’s policies on fuel subsidy removal, the naira, local government autonomy and state police.
He said although Nigerians might not yet be experiencing the full benefits of the government’s reforms, he was optimistic that the policies would produce positive results in the future.
“We have to vote for President Bola Tinubu again. He has been performing wonders. We may not be feeling the effect now, but there are brighter days ahead,” he said.
He added that removing fuel subsidy required political courage, while describing the administration’s positions on local government autonomy and state police as policies capable of generating dividends of democracy.
Receiving the chieftaincy title on behalf of her father, Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi described the recognition as a demonstration of the affection Odigbo Kingdom had for the Fajemirokun family.
She said the honour came with a responsibility to contribute more to the development of the community, particularly in the areas of youth empowerment, women’s development and economic growth.
Fajemirokun-Ajayi, an adopted daughter of Odigbo Kingdom, said the community possessed considerable economic potential because of its vast agricultural land and strategic position as an economic corridor.
She noted that Odigbo could attract more businesses and investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
According to her, the recognition of her father’s legacy was also an acknowledgement of the industrial and business contributions of the late Henry Fajemirokun, whose business activities helped put the family name on the international map.
She pledged the family’s commitment to supporting the community and working towards making Odigbo a recognised centre of commerce and enterprise.
“It is a joyous occasion, and it comes with great responsibility. We look forward, by God’s grace, to being able to do more for our people here, to see Yoruba develop to greater heights,” she said.
She added that the family looked forward to contributing to the development of the community, especially its young people, women and other residents.
Also speaking, John Adedini, who represented the Fajemirokun family of Ile-Oluji, called for cooperation between the new titleholder and the people of Odigbo.
He said the family expected Fajemirokun to work towards the progress and development of the kingdom during his tenure as Asoju Oba.
Simisola Fajemirokun-Ajayi chaired the Odigbo Day 2026 celebration at which the chieftaincy title was conferred.
