Abeokuta — The Ashantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed excitement over facilities at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) located in the Oke-Mosan area of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The monarch, who was conducted round the expansive library by the staff of the library on Monday, said the archive, church, leisure facility and research materials and natural scenery at the site is a site to behold. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who came with a large retinue of traditional assistants and other aides, described the edifice as a pride to the African people and their descent, urging the staff to ensure proper maintenance of the structures. He did not speak deliberately but in response to the various artifacts and other relics found at the temporary archives of the museum of the library when his entourage was being conducted round by the guides. The Ghanaian, who had earlier been part of the 80th birthday of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, in Ile-Ife, later had a praying session in the Christ the Glorious King Chapel, as the Chaplain of the Church, Rev. Femi Olajide, led the brief session. During his meeting with the Alake, the Ghanaian monarch said the responsibility of charting a way forward for Nigeria lies squarely with the country's traditional rulers and not the political class. The Asantehene, who is on a three-day visit to Nigeria, stated this in Abeokuta at the weekend when he paid a courtesy call on the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, at his Ake palace. According to the Ghanaian monarch, traditional rulers have greater responsibility than politicians in determining the development or otherwise of Nigeria because they are closer to the people. He warned royal fathers against sitting in the comfort of their palaces to complain about inadequate social amenities in their communities. According to him, politicians cannot be entrusted entirely with the responsibility of meeting the needs of the people because they are not close to them. He charged royal fathers to always deplore their influences and mobilize for the actualization of beneficial projects for their people. His words: "My visit here is to assure my brothers that you have a role to play in Nigeria. It is not for the politicians to decide our future, it's the responsibility of the traditional rulers to determine the way forward for Nigeria and that is what we have to do. "Politicians will come and go, traditional rulers will be there. If it is eight years, they (politicians) will go after the eight years. "If someone in Egbaland or Abeokuta never attended school, you cannot turn round to blame (former) President Obasanjo; you cannot turn round to blame President Yar'Adua or whoever. We have to blame ourselves. We should be able to appreciate that the people in Abeokuta are our responsibility more than the government's responsibilities." The Asantehene disclosed that traditional rulers in Ghana had started playing active role in attracting relevant developmental projects from international bodies and the native government to their people, calling on his Nigerian counterparts to follow suit. "It is not useful for you sitting down here in the palace complaining 'we don't have this, we don't have that.' You can do it. We know exactly what they need more than the government sitting in Abuja to take decisions for people in Abeokuta . So, these are the issues that we need to take care of as a people," he added. Source: Daily Independent