Kunle Adelabu
The traditional ruler of Ibesheland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Richard Ogunsanya, and the Regent/Olisa of Ijede, High Chief Musediq Alliu, have both warned their subjects to strictly heed the directives of the Lagos State Government in containing the spread of the Coronavirus and to, more importantly, stay at home as ordered by the government.
Oba Ogunsanya and High Chief Alliu gave the warning on Sunday (yesterday) at his palace when Team SOB visited the Olubeshe palace over the Coronavirus presently ravaging the country.
Oba Ogunsanya, while speaking on his effort so far in sensitizing his subjects on Coronavirus and the need for them to comply with the government’s directives regarding the disease, stated that:
“We have been senstising the residents since the Lagos State Government informed us about the deadly coronavirus”, the royal father told THE IMPACT.
“I have been sending my town crier to constant inform my people on the need to comply with the government’s directives. On my own, I have been staying at home in accordance with the directives.
“I have also been communicating with my Baales and chiefs through phone calls on the need for them to also educate their subjects in the suburb.
“We have completely stopped fishing which is an economic activity that our peope are engaging in due to the government’s directive which is in our own interest.
“If you go to the sea now, you cannot find anyone there”.
He also revealed that traditional rulers in all the kingdoms within the Ikorodu Division have been appeasing gods of the land to stop the Coronavirus epidemic.
“As traditional rulers, all the Obas in the division have also resolved to engage in traditional rites to appease the gods to bring an end to the epidemic that is ravaging humanity. We have been performing necessary rites overnight in our various domains”, Olubeshe stated.
He appealed to residents in his kingdom to always wash their hands and take other precautionary measures stipulated by the government.
“I appeal to residents of Ibeshe and in Ikorodu Division generally to comply with government’s directives by washing their hands regularly, use sanitiiser and stay at home as precautionary measures”, Olubeshe warned.
“Today (Sunday), I sent my monitoring team to observe around the community if any Church or group is gathering against the government’s directive but the team reported back to me that our people are complying.
“I think that government should find a way to provide relief for our people that have been asked to stay at home. They are crying to us every day. Government should be able to provide succor for them. They can do this through various palaces. Our people need support at this period.
“Those that are privileged have been spending since the day people were asked to stay at home and they are running out of cash. Government needs to intervene by coming to our people’s aid.
“My prayer is that the coronavirus epidemic should eradicated very soon”, the traditional ruler prayed.
In the same vein, High Chief Musediq Alliu, the Regent and Olisa of Ijede, also appealed to residents in his community to abide with the precautionary measures stipulated by the government.
“I appeal to my people in Ijede to strictly follow government’s directives regarding the containing of the deadly coronavirus. They should wash their hands always, use sanitizer and stay at home in their own interest”, High Chief Alliu appealed.
“They must abide by the directives of the government by keeping personal hygiene and ensure that their environments are clean and more importantly, they must stay at home until government says otherwise”.
He also stated that the traditional institution in Ijede has also been engaging in the performance of necessary traditional rites to appease the gods.
“During time of crisis like this, there are ways that our ancestors usually deal with it. They usually appease the gods of the land to stop the ravaging epidemic and that’s what we have been doing in Ijede. It is our own way of complimenting the government’s efforts in tackling the problem of coronavirus epidemic”, he told THE IMPACT.
