- New Oba Elect, Prince MULERO ROTIMI Opens Up
•Reveals How Pastors Predicted He Will Lead His People
Prince Mulero Rotimi is the new Oba-elect of Ibese town, in Yewa North Local government area of Ogun State. He was elected after the late Oba passed away 2 years ago. The late Oba, Joel Bamgbose was the oldest king in Ogun State and the oldest king on the throne.
There are two ruling houses in Ibese: The Olangbo ruling housing and Oloko ruling house. The Olangbo ruling house produced the late Oba, while the new Oba elect, Prince Mulero Rotimi is from the other ruling house, Oloko.
Two weeks back, the new Oba elect spoke to City People’s ISAAC ABIMBADE on how he emerged the new Oba of Ibese town. He spoke on the challenges ahead of him and he also revealed a lot about his growing up days in the North. Below are excerpts.
Can you tell us more about yourself as the new Oba-elect of Ibese town in Ogun State?
My name is Prince Mulero Rotimi. I’m the Oba elect of Ibeshe, Yewa North in Ogun State.
Many people don’t know much about the town, Ibese. How do you describe the town?
Ibese is an ancient town and the throne I’m to occupy very soon is an ancient throne. The late Oba that just died (it’s over 2 years he died), Oba Joel Bamgbose, he spent 59 years on the throne. He was the Oba of Ibese. So I will be the no 12th. We have 2 ruling houses in Ibese town. We have Olangbo ruling house and Oloko ruling house. The Olangbo ruling house produced the late Oba that spent 59 years on the throne. He was the oldest Oba in the South-West before he died. He spent more years on the throne than Awujale of Ijebuland. So, the Olangbo ruling house produced him and since it’s a rotational thing, my ruling house, Oloko is next.
When is the coronation taking place?
Very soon, by His grace. Because I was just elected by the kingmakers of the town, after which the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy will give their consent/approval for it. So, any moment we get approval, the coronation will take place.
Did you see it coming that one day you will be elected as King?
No. Everything happened the way God designed it. Nobody can predict what will happen tomorrow. And coming from a royal background doesn’t mean you will become a King. So it is just the grace of God and whoever God has assigned for a particular course will definitely be there. I contested with some of my cousins. Officially, on the list we were 4 before I was elected.
Who is Prince Mulero Rotimi before being elected as the new Oba of Ibeshe town?
Prince Mulero Olurotimi is my name like I earlier said. I come from a very good background. My dad used to be a retired Military Officer, before he died. So, I had a good home training, myself and my siblings. I had my primary and secondary education in Ibese.
And I had my National Diploma at the then Ondo State Polytechnic, now Rufus Giwa Polytechnics, and I had my B.Sc at Lagos State University. I read Business Administration there. I worked briefly with the then Sky Bank, now Polaris, and I have my business too. I’m into Logistics. I am happily married with children.
What can you say about your past, you must have been told one point in time you will, one day become a King. Has anybody ever told you that ?
Like I said , everything happen the way God wants it. My mum used to tell me that, the day I was given birth to, it was her alone in a room. That was in a barrack at Azare in the North.
So, without anybody’s help she gave birth to me. And there were certain things that happened to her on that day that she couldn’t explain. When she was asked, who helped her when she was in labour, she said it was just God on her side. And that’s where my name, Oluwarotimi (God’s with me) came from.
She also said, when I was a year old, some Pastors came to tell her; they had some visions about me. They were Pastors in the North and it was so strange to her to see Pastors coming to her because there weren’t much Pastors in the North then. They revealed to her that this child would be a Shepherd. She thought I would become one of those Fulani herdsmen that lead cows; that the child would lead a lot of people and have a lot of followerships.
How do you want to reform Ibeshe town?
Ibeshe, like I told you is an ancient town. I want to say this with a bitter heart. We are not that fortunate to have all these social amenities that other communities enjoy. I have been so embittered since I was young. And each time I had an opportunity to travel out of the community and we are coming back, at the entrance of Ilaro to Ibese, I always cried.
I always have this big dream that one day somebody would come, that would be an indigene, to help us develop the town. We don’t have good water in the town as a result of the limestone; the limestone has contaminated the water.
It is not something I can do alone. I intend to work with so many people and investors, apart from the existence of Dangote Cement plant, We still need other investors to come. We need those real estate managers to come. We have vast land. We would make the town lively for both young and old. So, I pray and I’m hoping that very soon the town will be a very small London in my reign.
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