Ooni of Ife Renews Diplomatic Passport, Praises Tinubu’s Immigration Reforms
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has renewed his Nigerian diplomatic passport at the headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), using the opportunity to commend the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as notable reforms within the country’s immigration system.
The traditional ruler completed the renewal process during a visit to the NIS headquarters, where he interacted with senior officials and officers responsible for diplomatic travel documentation. Sources present at the exercise said the monarch described the process as seamless and markedly improved compared to previous years.
Speaking after the renewal, the Ooni praised the efficiency, professionalism and improved service delivery he observed, attributing the changes to ongoing reforms under the current administration. He noted that the developments reflect broader efforts by the federal government to modernise public institutions.
The monarch highlighted reforms focused on digitisation, transparency and faster passport issuance, stressing that a functional immigration system is vital to Nigeria’s governance and international image. According to him, diplomatic passports represent the country globally and must be processed with credibility and efficiency.
Oba Ogunwusi also commended officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service for their conduct during the exercise, urging them to sustain the momentum and continue strengthening public trust in the system.
Emphasising the importance of strong institutions, the Ooni described the ongoing changes as a positive signal that Nigeria is repositioning itself administratively and diplomatically.
Officials of the NIS welcomed the monarch’s visit and remarks, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to implementing federal government policies aimed at improving service delivery across all passport categories, including diplomatic and official documents.
An immigration source disclosed that recent reforms have prioritised reducing processing delays, eliminating manual bottlenecks and strengthening internal accountability. The source added that feedback from traditional rulers and other high-profile citizens is valuable in assessing the impact of the reforms.
The renewal comes amid broader federal efforts to sanitise travel documentation systems and align Nigeria’s immigration processes with international best practices.
The Ooni’s remarks have sparked reactions online, with many Nigerians welcoming his endorsement as encouragement for ongoing reforms. Others, however, urged the government to ensure that the improvements seen at the diplomatic level are extended to regular passport applications for ordinary citizens.
Despite the mixed reactions, the Ooni of Ife’s endorsement adds to a growing list of public figures acknowledging improvements in select government services under the current administration, while keeping attention on the need for consistency and nationwide impact.
