The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II has admonished all stakeholders, particularly traditional rulers to prioritize youth development and capacity building, to create a greater future for the country.

Oba Ogunwusi, who is the Co-chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN), gave the admonition while playing host to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, at his Ile Oodua Palace, Ile-Ife.

He called on Nigerian leaders to surrender themselves to the youth because they owned the country and were the future that must be built today.

The monarch said Youth development remained a venture that could be undertaken by traditional rulers and influential individual in there domain without requiring government support and intervention.

Oba Ogunwusi, who commended the peaceful transition that ushered in his visitor as the Emir of Kano, also called for the sustenance of cordial relationship among traditional rulers in Nigeria, which he noted had promoted the peaceful coexistence of the country.

Earlier in his speech, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero thanked Ooni Ogunwusi for providing great leadership across Yoruba race and Nigeria. 

He noted that a new channel for deepening cultural understanding between Yoruba people and their counterparts in the northern part of the country would be further created towards enhancing national unity and development.

The Emir of Kano suggested a cross exchange of ideas about new ways of tackling the issue of education, employment and social development amongst youths, noting that new ideas are found through cross-fertilization of ideas.

Adenitan Akinola