High Chief Ayo Olayinka J.P on seat with African-American Commandos on courtesy visit to HRH (Dr) Samson Adeleke Oke, the Ajalaye (Paramount Ruler of Ipetu-Ijesa Kingdom) in his Royal Palace In Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State, Nigeria
By Prof Kola Kesinro
To use the words of Hon Oluwole Oke, the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Ijesa North Federal Constituency in the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ipetu-Ijesa is now on the world map as top officers of the Armed Forces of the United States of America, USA, paid a courtesy visit to the Ajalaye of Ipetu-Ijesa Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba (Dr) Samson Adeleke Oke.
What was the mission of the USA Air Force to Ipetu-ijesa?
In an interview, the Risapetu, who is next in rank to the Ajalaye of Ipetu-Ijesa, High Chief Ayo Olayinka, said: “I actively supported Alayeluwa Oba (Dr.) Adeleke Oke as his next-in-rank in the Ipetu-Ijesa Royal Council in actively hosting officers of the US Military, who paid a courtesy visit to Ipetu-Ijesa Royal Palace on Tuesday 17th May, 2022.
“The American military officers were in the Nigerian Air Force Base, Ipetu-Ijesa on a military mission from America; and they deemed it fit to pay a courtesy call on our good great King.”
Asked if he hoped that the American military mission to the town would yield socio-economic benefits to the Ipetu-Ijesa kingdom, the high chief said: “Yes, very much.”
The Nigerian Air Force Base was sited in Ipetu-Ijesa during the Peoples Democratic Party’s administration of the immediate former Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
The Air Force base includes the Nigerian Air Force Institution of Safety (NAFIS) and the Air Force Training
Command of Nigerian Air Force.
But both institutions were later relocated from Ipetu Ijesa, Osun State, to Bauchi.
When the Air Force base was formerly in our town, air force men were coming to Ipetu-Ijesa from all over Nigeria. It was indeed a socio economic minus for our town when the Air Force Base was relocated to Bauchi.
As fate would have it, insurgents in Bauchi were hostile to the Nigerian Air Force Base there, thus actively frustrating its logistics and operations to the extent that the Nigerian Military decided to relocate the base back to Ipetu-Ijesa Kingdom, which the Nigerian Air Force has experienced as a peaceful and supportive community.
It was the above development that necessitated the mission of the top echelon of the American military to visit the Ipetu-Ijesa Nigerian Air Force Base for inspection and life demonstration of military maneuver.
Notably, the immediate socio-cultural and economic gain of this development is that the Nigerian Air force Base in Ipetu–Ijesa has been upgraded to an international Air Force Training Center, second to none in Africa, where Air Force men from all over the world will congregate from time to time for training ship.
Indeed, Hon (Dr.) Oluwole Oke was apt when he said that Ipetu–Ijesa is now on the world map as top officers of the USA Armed Forces paid a courtesy visit to our highly revered King.
Moreover, a commando village is actively blossoming in the Ipetu–Ijesa Military Zone, where quarters for men of the Air Force with be built.
- Prof Kola Kesinro writes from Ipetu-Ijesa.
