Viral video presently trending online posted by Chief Dele Momodu shows Nigeria’s former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo prostrating before the newly installed Agura of Gbagura land in Abeokuta, Oba Saburee Babajide Bakare in a show of loyalty to the crown.
Obasanjo in the video is seen leading other notable elders to fully prostrate before the new Oba even as he is heard saying in Yoruba, ‘‘Te ba le dobale bi emi se dobale, e dobale’‘ meaning if you can prostrate just the way I am going to do, then you should”.
The yoruba tradition holds that everyone who visits an Oba and is not a titled chief (which Obasanjo happens to be) has to fully prostrate when paying obeisance.
The Ogun State Executive Council, earlier this year in May, approved his selection by Gbagura Kingmakers, as well as the Osobia of Makun Omi, In the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area.
The 59 year old Chief Superintendent of Customs, Prince Saburee Babajide Bakre was the choice of the Kingmakers out of nine princes, who offered themselves for possible endorsement.
Prince Saburee Babajide Bakre who joined the Custom’s Service in 1988, holds an HND Business Administration from the Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola University of Technology, Abeokuta in 1986.
He also acquired certificates from the School of Business and Management, American University of Sharjah, Dubai in July 2010 and Hamburg Port Training Institute GmbH Hamburg Germany in October 2010.
He recently retired from active service as Superintendent of Customs at PTML Command, Tin-Can Island.
He received his staff of office as the new Agura of Gbagura land from former govornor Ibikunle Amosun who had charged him to accelerate the pace of development in Gbagura land.
Speaking at the Agura Palace in May, Senator Amosun said, “in performing this task, you will need the cooperation and support of your people. I implore you to be the father of all, irrespective of their political, religious, and social inclinations”.
He urged him to extend hands of love and fellowship to all those who competed with him for the stool, and deploy his vast managerial and leadership experience to effect speedy reconciliation amongst the people, saying, no meaningful development could occur in an atmosphere of strife.
While admonishing him to see his appointment as a call to service, the Governor enjoined the Monarch to concentrate on mobilizing his subjects to complement the initiatives of the Mission to Rebuild the State, adding that the people of Gbagura should rally round the new Oba.
Amosun added that the accolades that greeted the declaration of Oba Bakre revealed that his appointment enjoys the overwhelming support of the people, noting that this showed that the nomination and selection processes that produced him followed due process.
See the video below:
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