Ooni Vows to Rally Investors for Borno’s Vast Farmlands

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has pledged to encourage investment in Borno State, praising its vast agricultural potential and transformative leadership under Governor Babagana Zulum.

The monarch made the commitment on Friday in Maiduguri during a private meeting with the Governor at the Government House.

Oba Ogunwusi expressed strong admiration for Zulum’s work, stating, “I like what you are doing, I am very proud of you… you are a role model to many young people.” He hailed the Governor as “a true reformer” and a beacon of transformative leadership.

Highlighting Borno’s economic potential, the Ooni said, “I will tell people to come and invest. I saw a vast amount of land, arable for any kind of farming; this state can indeed feed the entire country.”

He also commended the state’s aesthetics, noting his initial curiosity about the Governor’s passion for Maiduguri. “But today I came… and I now see why. Honestly speaking, Borno is a beautiful state,” he added.

The traditional ruler further emphasized deep historical ties, describing the Kanuri people of Borno as blood relatives and cousins to the Yoruba. “I am a student of history, and I met our link and our affiliation,” he narrated.

Governor Zulum, in his response, thanked the Ooni for the visit and for accepting the role of Chancellor at the state’s Kashim Ibrahim University. He described the Ooni as a unifying figure dedicated to national unity and cultural preservation.

The Ooni, who is Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council, was in Maiduguri to attend the combined convocation ceremony of Kashim Ibrahim University. He was accompanied by several other traditional rulers and academic officials.