Royal Endorsement: Aragbiji of Iragbiji Pays Surprise Courtesy Visit to NIEPA, Lauds Institute’s New Trajectory

Reported by Bodunde Tenabe

ONDO — In what can be described as a massive royal validation of its recent developmental strides and growing public visibility, the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA-Nigeria), Ondo, yesterday received a surprise courtesy visit from a prominent first-class traditional ruler in the South-West, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Osun State. The unannounced royal visit, which took place on Thursday, February 26, 2026, coincided perfectly with the Institute’s successful conclusion of its 2025 promotion and regularization exercise for eligible and newly integrated staff.

According to the monarch, he was returning to his domain from a function in a nearby town when he decided to make a detour to familiarize himself with the Institute. The royal father noted that news of NIEPA’s aggressive capacity-building initiatives and institutional transformation had been echoing across the region, prompting his desire to witness the progress firsthand. This royal acknowledgment serves as a significant public relations milestone for NIEPA, sharply contrasting with previous years when the Institute was largely in the doldrums and suffered from relative obscurity and poor public perception.

As a highly lettered monarch with a robust background in public and university administration, Oba Olabomi’s sudden visit and subsequent commendation carry profound weight. The monarch and his entourage were warmly received by the Acting Director-General, Dr. David Shofoyeke, alongside the Registrar and Secretary to Council of the Institute, Dr. Festus Olaolu, and other key members of the management team. Despite the impromptu nature of the visit, the management hosted the royal father to a befitting reception, demonstrating the Institute’s highly coordinated corporate culture and administrative readiness.

Documenting his experience in the Institute’s official visitor logbook at exactly 4:50 PM, the Aragbiji simply but powerfully summarized his assessment of the Institute under the remarks column as “Impressed”. This royal stamp of approval further cements the fact that the repositioning efforts of the Dr. Shofoyeke-led management are not only reshaping the education sector but are also successfully changing the public narrative, attracting high-level goodwill, and restoring NIEPA’s glory as the premier educational planning institution in Nigeria.