2017 Igbogbo Day: Community kicks-off Celebrations With Campaign Against Domestic Violence

Kunle Adelabu

-Kabiyesi, Igbogbo community have cause to celebrate – Comrade Sesan Daini

Hundreds of students, residents, government functionaries and traditional chiefs in Igbogbo community were led in a walk against domestic violence on Friday, November 17, 2017, to kick-start the annual Igbogbo Day celebration.

 

As early as 7.00am, students started converging on Igbe junction,the starting point for the walk against domestic violence and boundary between Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area and Ikorodu Local Government, in readiness for the day’s event.

 

There was also a special prayer at the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo in the early hours of that day to kick start and commit the celebrations into God’s hands.

Comrade Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, arrived Igbe  junction in company of his cabinet members around 10.30am.

At around 11.00am when His royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, arrived the starting point for the walk with his chiefs, dignitaries and state officials, the students filed out in twos as the procession proceeded through Oba Omolaja Ogunlewe Road to Meri Road, Igbogbo-Ipakodo Road and finally berthed at the Adeboruwa palace.

Speaking with reporters, Comrade Daini Olusesan stated that the child abuse and other domestic violence are prevalent in the community and that was why the council and the community deemed it fit to kick-start a campaign against it.

 

“We are gathered here today to have a walk and say no to child abuse and other domestic violence. Child abuse is one of the prevalent issues facing the country presently.”

“There are cases where our children under 18years of age were victims of several abuses.This is not good for the country because these children are the future of our country.”

 

“This walk, is being organized to kick-start the 2017 Igbogbo Day Celebration, is aimed at sensitizing the children and the entire community on abuse against our younger ones”, Comrade Daini stated.

He added that the walk is a starting point for his administration and entire Igbogbo community in their campaign against child abuse.

 

“The walk is just the starting point for us. After this, the council shall embark on aggressive orientation, further sensitization and engagement. We are also looking at introducing child abuse education in school curriculum. I’m assuring you that we have lots of programmes lined up to tackle child abuse”, said the chairman.

 

Explaining the rebranded Igbogbo Day Celebration, Comrade Daini attributed the innovations, massive supports and goodwill this year’s edition has garnered to God, and the determination of Oba Kasali and Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA under his leadership.

“What we are having today is by the grace of God who has placed some people in positions to make things happen. It is also due to the visionary and commitment of our royal father, HRM Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo and new council administration under my leadership.”

“What you are witnessing is the involvement of the people. We did not just sit down to fashion out programmes and make announcement that we are doing Igbogbo Day. Rather, we engaged the people of the community to know what their views are. Before we could arrived at the timetable for the celebration, we met with cross sections of the community for about seven months and what we are having today is the collective decision of both indigenes and non-indigenes of Igbogbo as modalities for the celebration. These are what accounted for the success of the celebration from the onset”, Comrade Daini explained.

 

He added that this year’s celebration also coincided with the One Year Coronation anniversary of Oba Kasali which he said is worth celebrating.

Stating the laudable achievements of the monarch within a year of his ascension, the Council Chairman said, “The major achievement of Kabiyesi’s rulership is peace. Since his emergence, Igbogbo has been enjoying nothing but peace. There has also been lots of developmental projects. Within the short time of kabiyesi’s reign, the state government has awarded the Igbe road which is 7.114kilometres from Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way  to Gintin which is a major project.”

“Also,the government has promised that Igbogbo stadium would be rehabilitated which is another good development; there is a mediation centre now in Igbogbo; MOPOL 63 which is going to control the security of the state; we have a brach of the United Bank for Africa while Sterling Bank is also completing its structure and Wema, GTB and others are also interested in coming to Igbogbo. These are some of the major things God has caused to happen in Igbogbo during  reign of our revered Oba with the support of the state government, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and the people”, Comrade Daini stated.

 

After the walk, the crowd gathered at the Adeboruwa’s palace for talks on the theme, “Say No To Rape, Domestic Violence”.

During the walk, Oba Kasali, his chiefs, pupils and students and other participants carried placards with different inscriptions such as, “Don’t Hit Your Woman, Be A Real Man”, “Children Are The Leaders of Today, Our Future”, “In Memory of All The Women That Have Died As A Result of Domestic Violence”, “Child Abuse Is A No No, Don’t Do It”, “Stop Domestic Violence, Child Abuse & Rape”, among others.