By Eunice Hilda Ampomah, GNA
Accra, Jan. 20, GNA – Vice President Dr
Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on all chieftaincies within the country,
including; chieftaincies of foreign nationals within Ghana to unite to drive
growth at the local levels.
The state at the local levels, he said, was
embodied by chiefs, hence unity among all chieftaincy institutions could
promote easy mobilisation of the people to work to drive growth.
He said this as at a cultural event
organised by Alhaji Hamza Peregrino Brimah VIII, the Oba of Yoruba-Ghana, to
confer chieftaincy titles to prominent Yoruba personalities living in Ghana on
Sunday in Accra.
Dr Bawumia said it was important that Ghana
and Nigeria realised the important role chiefs played in enhancing development
and called on the two countries to strengthen the relationships that existed
between their cultural values so they could support each other.
“This
conferment programme is a beautiful one that shows the similarity between the
culture of Ghana and Nigeria. We are one people, so let’s not allow others to
separate us,” he said.
The Vice President said Ghana had
longstanding relations with Nigeria, and housed the Yorubas when they arrived
in Ghana from Ife, Nigeria in the 17th century in areas such as Teshie, Osu,
and Tema.
He encouraged the new Chiefs conferred with
titles to develop relations with the Ghanaian Chiefs and collaborate with them
to develop their individual communities.
Thirty male and 15 female Chiefs that were
conferred included; Mr David Ibikunle Alex-Duduyemi, the Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of Ideal Insurance Brokers as the Bobaselu of Oodua, Alhaji Dr Ahmed
Vanderpuije as the Baba Adinni and Balogun, Alhaja Risikatu Vanderpuije as the
Iyalode, Alhaji Tawfeek Wahab as the Olori Odoo, and Alhaji Suraka Lawal as
Agba Akin Bobajiroro.
Others were; Alhaji Silifa Suleman, as the
Yeye Tayese, Alhaji Taofiki Wahab Afodun as the ‘Olori Odo’, Elder McFelix
Modupe Alaye, the CEO of McFAL Company Limited as the ‘Bobashewa’, Dr Bayo
Albert Asaolu, the Chief Operating Officer of Next International Magazine as
the ‘Aare Mayeu Mayegun’, all of Ghana.
Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the
Ooni of Ife, Nigeria, who graced the occasion as the ‘Royal Father of the Day’
expressed gratitude to the Government of Ghana for uniting the diaspora especially
through its ‘Year of Return’ initiative.
“I also want to say a big thank you to Ghana
for welcoming and accommodating natives of other countries for years,” he said.
He said Ghana and Nigeria shared a common
heritage, especially as the Gas had their roots in Nigeria and needed to
develop the relations between them to enhance development.
GNA