By Bukola Kayode
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has called on Nigerian universities to study how the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was appointed by President Bola Tinubu’s despite being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Ooni made the call at the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Thursday.
The revered monarch described Wike’s ministerial appointment under an All Progressives Congress-led government as a “mystery.”
He said: “For your career, I will particularly say that I give a very strong honour to the father of the nation, President Bola Tinubu,” the Ooni said while addressing Wike, who served as the keynote speaker at the event.
“You belong to a different political party and yet are able to work together. You are part of this government. It is still a mystery. I don’t even know how it happened. For me, it is something that universities should be studying and I mean it. It’s very important.
“Hate him or like him, what will be, will be. He (Wike) is a politician to be studied. I don’t know how he’s been actively relevant for 20 years,” Ooni said.
The Ooni opined that Wike may have critics, but his boldness and resilience are generally acknowledged.
Wike delivered the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at OAU.
The event, held at the university’s Oduduwa Hall, featured Wike speaking on the theme, “Nigeria of Our Dreams.”
According to a statement from Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, the invitation was officially extended to Wike in a letter dated April 14, 2025, signed by the university’s Registrar and Secretary to Council, Mr. K. A. Bakare.
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