The Olofa of Offa, Mufutau Gbadamosi, Esuwoye II, disclosed on Sunday that his late father, Muhammed Esuwoye, forced him to contest the traditional stool of Offa town in Kwara.

The monarch made the disclosure in Offa in his tribute at the eight day Fidau prayers for his father who died on February 24 at the age of 76.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Kwara All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Osun governor, attended the prayers.

Monarchs including the Oluwo of Iwo land, Abdulrasheed Akanbi; Olupo of Ajase Ipo, Sikiru Atanda; the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Abdulraheem Adeoti; Elegushi of Ikate, Saheed Elegushi; among others, were also in attendance.

He said “You vowed to curse me if I failed to honour the call from the family to leave my business in Lagos to participate in the contest for the Olofa stool.

“Out of fear and respect, I honoured your call, and to the glory of Almighty Allah, I am now the 24th Olofa of Offa.

“My dear father, I am proud of you, even in death. You were a source of inspiration to me and the family.”

After the Fidau prayers led by the Chief Imam of Offa, Muyideen Salman, an Islamic cleric, Saidi Hussaini, gave an exhortation.

He focused on inevitability of death, life after death and the need to impact positively on people while alive.

The cleric, who used Olofa as example, underscored the need for people, especially the privileged to impact positively on their parents, family, community and the poor in general.

Speaking with journalists after the event, the Information and Culture Minister said the array of personalities at the event was suggestive of the influence of the Olofa.

The minister said he was particularly touched by the humbling sermon of the cleric which focused on life after death and the need to prepare for the journey and make amend when alive.

The deceased, born in 1933, was a grand son of the 19th Olofa of Offa, Oba Esuwoye I.

(NAN)