My church is aware I’m member of Ogboni Confraternity —Ogunfuwa, 75-yr-old Remo chief

Otunba Joseph Adedayo Ogunfuwa,   the Babalaje of Remoland, celebrated his 75th birthday, penultimate Saturday. In an  interview, shortly after the birthday lecture, Ogunfuwa said he is a devoted  Christian, a member of the Anglican Communion and a strong member of   the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity. This, he claimed, his church is aware.

 What inspired your celebrating your birthday with a lecture?

I conceived   the idea of a birthday lecture 15 years ago when I clocked 60 years because I thought I would die before 60.   My late father died at 62 and, to me, when  you  clock 60 and die, it is not   a premature death. Initially, the birthday lecture was restricted to my immediate family and close friends. But when I clocked 65, people, mostly friends, advised me to extend the invitation beyond my immediate family so that it could be a legacy   that will not only benefit my immediate family but should be   passed on to generations   because of my experiences on knotty issues like world peace, religion as well as other issues that will always give people food for thought.

I also want to say that none of the fraternities that I belong to is against any religion or government. They all affirm the supremacy of God and oppose  discrimination of any kind.   The  world needs peace and not insurgency and the battle for God among different religions  must stop if the world must know peace.

So, this year, I changed the pattern of the lecture. I saw the need to invite  knowledgeable persons to deliver it. Professor Dayo Adekole  talked about  religion and fraternities and explored the notion of a conflict. Professor Rom Kalilu talked about religious intolerance –The Muslim point of view. I     spoke on religion intolerance =The Christian view point and religion and world peace. The whole essence of  this was to see how we can all bring about world peace. Without peace, nothing meaningful can be done, either as an individual or as a nation.

What exactly is your philosophy of life?

Do my best in all circumstances for everybody and without doing wrong to anybody.