Wale JAGUN
The Ayangbure of Ikorodu and Permanent Vice Chairman, Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, on Saturday, March 16, 2019, asked sons and daughters of Ikorodu at home and abroad to join hands in promoting and uplifting the town’s cultural heritage.
The monarch made the clarion call during the grand finale of 2019 edition of Odun Osu (Osu festival) held at the Ayangbure palace.
The festival is the first traditional festival to be celebrated in Ikorodu annually before any other traditional festival can be staged.
This year’s event was the 4th edition to be celebrated by the monarch since ascending his ancestors’ throne in 2015.
During the festival, chiefs, important dignitaries and people in the town usually paid homage to the monarch.
According to Oba Shotobi, the annual festival usually lasted for seven days and it is celebrated to appease the gods of the land for peace and harmony.
He added that the celebration of the festival would promote and enhance the economic growth and development of the community.
“As you can see, all the sons and daughters of Ikorodu from far and near are here to rejoice with me . A home-coming of sought where they come together to appease the gods at the beginning of the year for prosperity and peace.
“As the custodian of culture and tradition and the father of everybody, I have to pray so that we will not encounter any ugly incident throughout the year.
“Since my coronation as the Ayangburen, Ikorodu people have witnessed progress and developments.”
He stated that peaceful elections were achieved in Ikorodu because the gods were appeased for that purpose.
“We experienced peaceful elections in Ikorodu and also recorded highest votes in the division because we appeased the gods before the elections.
Also at the festival, Dr. Tajudeden Bawa-Allah, the Mogaji of Ikorodu land, said that the essence of the festival was to showcase the culture and tradition of the community.
While briefly explaining the duties of honorary Chiefs to the newly installed chiefs at the event, he urged them not to abandon the Oba after accepting the chieftaincy titles from him.
Bawa-Allah also urged them to be committed to the functions attached to their new status among which are being among the ambassadors and counsellors of the Oba and giving support to him.
The State Vice Chairman, APC, Lagos State, and the Asipa of Ikorodu, Asipa Kaoli Olatunji Olusanya, stated that “Odun Osu” is also called “Odun Oba”.
He thanked Ikorodu people and residents for supporting the Ayangbure in achieving a successful festival this year, adding that the festival heralds the celebration of other traditional festivals in Ikorodu.
He explained that a day to the grand finale of festival, the Oba would visit Awofin (Old Palace) where their would be prayers for his wellbeing and that of the entire Ikorodu people.
Asipa Kaoli also disclosed that Oba Shotobi would be honoring Mr Tajudeen Akande, President of Lagos Country Club, Ikejax, and his wife with honorary chieftaincy titles in appreciation of the befitting reception organised by Akande and his club members for the oba’s American godfather, Dr Bob Brown, when he visited Nigeria last year to attend Oba Shotobi’s 3rd Coronation ceremony.
The Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly and the representative of Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, speaking with THE IMPACT, stated there is need for the indigenes of Ikorodu to embrace their culture and tradition and join hands in promoting them beyond the shores of the ancient town.
He congratulated the monarch, chiefs and entire Ikorodu people for the successful Osu festival, while adding that Ikorodu has rich cultural heritage and festival to showcase to the world.
“A people without history do not progress and this is one of the ways that we preserve our heritage in Ikorodu. Our people in Ikorodu need to support our revered monarch in the preservation of our cultural heritages and festival.
“If properly harnessed, we can generate huge revenue every year from cultural promotion and also place Ikorodu on global tourism map in the process.
He stated that Asa Arokolo festival, an annual festival which he initiated and sponsoring, would be among the festivals that would be staged in Ikorodu this year.
“After the successful celebration of Osu festival, you are going to start witnessing the celebration of other festivals like Oro, Liwe, Agemo, Ogun, Asa among other festivals in Ikorodu.
“We are planning to stage a befitting Asa Arokolo festival which is a state government recognized festival this year. It’s going to be full of pomp and pageantries. Through Asa Arokolo and other festivals, we’ll be preserving and selling Ikorodu to the state, country and the global village”, Hon. Agunbiade stated.
“The success being recorded with the celebration of the Osu festival is a sign of prosperity for Ikorodu community and its people. “
The highpoints of the event were the conferment of the chieftaincy titles of ‘Tadese’ and ‘Yeye Tadese’ of Ikorodu on Mr Akande and his wife, Omolara and the exciting performance by a veteran fuji act, Taye Currency, whose performance drew Oba Shotobi, his wife as well as other Obas and guests to the dance floor where they danced and sprayed crisp naira notes to appreciate the musicians and other well-wishers.
