The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has congratulated the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, on his appointment to President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
Speaking on Friday when he received Adelabu on a courtesy visit to his palace in Ibadan, Oba Balogun charged the new minister to be conscious of the enormity of the challenges lying ahead of him.
The monarch and two of his advisory council members, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi and Oba Hamidu Ajibade, Ashipa and Ekerin Olubadan, respectively, received Adelabu and his supporters.
Olubadan, who spoke through Kola-Daisi, stated that the Power ministry is very critical to every household in the country, and that places a huge burden on Adelabu’s shoulders as the minister.
He equally charged Adelabu to put it into his consciousness at all times that his record at the ministry would rub off on Ibadan, his place of birth, and all the sons and daughters of Ibadan, both at home and in the diaspora.
In his remark, the minister said he was aware of the task ahead of him, and his posting to the ministry by President Bola Tinubu was deliberate based on trust and confidence in his ability to deliver.
Adelabu maintained that with the support and prayer of everybody, he wouldn’t let the President and the nation down.
The minister also disclosed that he’s determined not to fail in the ministry, not minding the legacies left behind by his predecessors.
He added: “I have come home to receive prayers from my father, the Olubadan of Ibadanland because it is said that there’s no prayer that is as efficacious as parental prayers for a child. I decided to move around to thank all the critical stakeholders who made contributions to my emergence one way or the other before the job actually started in earnest.
I know it is not going to be a tea party, and I’m ready for the challenge. Mr. President acknowledged that I have the strength and energy to run around, which informed the posting. He said he won’t put me in a place where I can be effectively functioning, even in my bedroom, because of my background as a banker/accountant; rather, he wants me to exert my energy, and I’m ready to do my best.
“I want to go into the study of what has been happening in all the departments, why people have been failing, and the fact that others had failed in the past doesn’t mean I must fail like them because I’m not them and they are not me.
“I plead with our people to stop negative confession about our situation generally in the country because there’s power on the tongue. Let people stop cursing the PHCN; rather, let’s pray and say positive things about our affairs. What we confess, we experience. Let’s be positive at all times, and I’m sure we will have positive results.”
