Oba of Lagos Speaks On Declining Peter Obi’s Request To Visit Him

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu says he bears no grudges and harbours no resentment towards the Igbo.

The monarch said this in reaction to his purported rejection of Labour Party, LP, Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, request to visit him.

A female supporter of the Labour party candidate had accused the monarch of rejecting the moves by Peter Obi to visit him at his Iduganran palace, Lagos Island.

Speaking when the former Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP, Abiodun Alabi paid him a courtesy visit in his place in the company of the new Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, Akiolu said Obi is free to visit him at his palace anytime he wishes to.

The revered monarch, while declaring that he has a cordial relationship with the Igbos in Lagos, added that the late President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief George Obiozor, was his close friend.

According to Akiolu, “Nobody has written to me that any presidential candidate is coming to visit me.

“If anybody writes to me, I cannot deny them but as far as Peter Obi is concerned, whom I see as a complete gentleman, he has not approached me.

“I was always with the late Ohanaeze President, Obiazor, every weekend when he was alive and anytime I traveled to New York, he would always come to pick me up at the airport.

“So, I have no grudge against any Igbo man. I respect people and I don’t fear anybody,” Akiolu said.

He commended the former Lagos CP, Alabi for his performances during his tenure and urged the new CP to take the welfare of the police under him seriously and be nice to the people.

“Try to hold your religion. If you are a Christian or Muslim, practice your religion and look after the welfare of the people under you.

“I don’t take nonsense but I don’t have reservoirs of knowledge. From what I know about you, you will do well.

“Anything you do, do it with honesty. What you don’t want the citizens to do to you, don’t do it to them. I am giving you the assurance that we will cooperate with you,” Akiolu told the new CP.

Earlier, the Owhohunwa had told Akiolu he was at his palace to seek his royal blessings and professional advice.

According to him, “I have come for the professional aspect. You retired from the police service at one of the highest levels.

“The rich knowledge we can get from you is vital for my performance and I want to appeal to you to consider me as your son both from the traditional perspective and professional perspective and accept me with open hands.

“Whenever, I come, whenever I have challenges in the course of my duty, I should have a father to turn to. I will work to secure stable security for Lagos State, ” he said