The Senior Consultant on Media to Ogun State Governor, Tunde Oladunjoye, has been named as Onigegewura (One with the golden pen) of Ijebuland by the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
Penpushing reports that the royal father made the declaration in a notification of the award of the chieftaincy title for Oladunjoye in a letter dated May, 2,2024 which was personally signed by the monarch.
“By Ijebu ancient tradition and custom, and the prerogative of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, we honour our sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves within our cherished society in character, in their fields of endeavour, and made enormous contributions to the economic and social well-being of our people with chieftaincy titles. In other words, we confer chieftaincy titles to celebrate excellence, distinction and nobility’, the letter reads
‘For some time now, the palace has been observing with satisfaction and pride your professionalism and willingness to serve without counting the cost. Your industry, patriotism, loyalty, excellence and uncommon contributions to Ijebuland are unassailable and worthy of commendation’, the letter added.
‘As a media practitioner, you have used the instrumentality and power of the media to project the throne of Awujale, and as a weapon against discord and disunity in our society. You have consequently become a champion of democracy and a thoroughbred Ijebu’, Awujale wrote.
‘For these and many other reasons, it is my pleasure to confer on your good self, the title of ONIGEGEWURA OF IJEBU with all the rights, honours, privileges and responsibilities appertaining thereto. Please accept my hearty congratulations’, the letter emphasized
Penpushing further reports that it is recalled that Awujale in 2016 had in a brochure of the Ojude Oba, which was produced by Oladunjoye’s company, Tunes Communications, free of charge, expressed appreciation to him
“Tunde Oladunjoye: With grateful thanks and deep appreciation for your contributions towards a very successful hosting of 2016 Ojude-Oba Festival”, the first-class traditional ruler wrote in the Ojude-Oba brochure
Penpushing also reports that Oladunjoye is the Publisher of Tunes Magazine, a development focused magazine, he is a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), as well as a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), and was at a time, the Auditor of the Lagos Branch of the association.
The Onigegewura is a former National Publicity Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), was the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Directorate of Strategic Communications of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Penpushing reports that he was a member of the Publicity Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential primary, and Ogun State Publicity Secretary of the party, as well as the current Coordinator of South-West Publicity Secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
The new chief with golden pen, with a bias for arts, social policy, politics, human rights reporting and media advocacy, for several years, covered the biggest film festival in the world, the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France.
Penpsuhing also reports that he covered many high ranking international events like the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso, the Nigeria’s Eminent Persons Agricultural Summit hosted in Geneva by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 and the World Hunger Summit hosted by the United Kingdom Prime Minister in 2013, and was media consultant and member of the presidential delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland in 2013.
The Onigegewura was appointed by the Nigerian Government into the strategic media communication committee of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) in 2012 and later as Media Adviser to the then Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, between 2012 and 2014, before taking up another appointment as national media consultant to the FGN/ World Bank project on FADAMA III Additional Financing between 2016 and 2018.
Penpushing further reports that Oladunjoye is a published poet, and edited Activist Poets: An Anthology of Nigerian Pro-Democracy Activists, published in 2002 with the support of the French Government through the French Cultural Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The veteran journalist has been a resource person to UNESCO and peer reviewer with the World Bank, and was also was resident journalist with the House of Journalism, Lome, Togo (2001), visiting journalist to Nigeria’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, Paris, France, in 2005 under the leadership of Emeritus Professor Michael Omolewa.
Penpushing also reports that he was a UNICEF Scholar to South Africa in 2014 to study Design and Implementation of Social Protection in Africa, served as board member, Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation 2005; member, Governing Council of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) 2016-2017; chairman, Ogun State Television (OGTV) 2020-2023, member, Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Ukanna, Akwa Ibom State and member Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board 2019-2022, and was named United Nations Youth Ambassador for World Peace in 2008.
The activist, author, community leader, poet, publisher and politician has been a multiple award winner even right from his days as a student at the foremost journalism training school in Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba-Ikeja, Lagos, while the Students Union of both the Ibadan and Ogba campuses of the Institute honoured him with awards of Excellence.
Penpushing reports that as Council Chairman in Ijebu East Local Government (2007-2010), Ogun State, he was named the Overall Best Chairman in Ogun State for 2008 and 2009 becoming the first and only chairman till date, to win the coveted award back-to-back, and was later announced as the Best Council Chairman in South West Nigeria, while his score was the highest among others so nominated in the six geopolitical zones.
Penpushing further reports that Oladunjoye in his reaction on being informed of the Awujale’s honour, said he had reached the monarch to thank him, adding that he’s most grateful adding that the chieftaincy is not money cannot buy
The Chief has since accepted the honour of Onigegewura of Ijebuland, describing it as a rare privilege, stressing that he wholeheartedly and unreservedly accept the great honour bestowed on him and that he is overwhelmed
‘This is the best! I have called Baba (Awujale) to thank him. I am most grateful. This is a chieftaincy title that money cannot buy. It is with the greatest, heartfelt-appreciation and in all humility, that I wholeheartedly and unreservedly accept the great honour that you have graciously bestowed on me as the ONIGEGEWURA OF IJEBU’, Oladunjoye wrote.
‘Alayeluwa, like I told you over the phone, immediately I got wind of the honour; this is a title that money cannot buy. I feel so happy and extremely honoured and even overwhelmed by your constant show of uncommon and unconditional love to me over the years. It has been a rare privilege for me’, he stated in his acceptance letter dated May 4, 2024.
“I accept the chieftaincy title of ONIGEGEWURA OF IJEBU without any reservations whatsoever. Kabiyesi, please accept my sincere appreciation on behalf of my family. May the good Lord continue to honour you and your family ceaselessly and boundlessly. Most grateful my father and my King!”
Meanwhile, the official installation ceremony of Oladunjoye as the Onigegewura(one with golden pen)will be announced by the palace in due course, as preparation is equally said to be in top gear for a colourful event
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