Kunle ADELABU
Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, Lagos State (L), Oloye Oye Solebo, APC Chieftain, Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, (KJW), former Commissioner for Information, Lagos State and Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government Chairman at the Community Hymn Singing sponsored b Price Ogunleye to give thanks to for the gif of live and successful tenure at the Methodist Church of Nigeria in Ikorodu on Sunday
It was indeed a great honor for the outgoing Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, as he mobilsed family members, notable politicians and friends to community hymn singing to give thanks to God for the successful completion of his tenure as member of the Lagos State Executive Council between 2015 and 2019.
Prince Ogunleye was first appointed as the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives at the inception of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration before he was appointed as the Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development.
Joining Prince Ogunleye and family members at the Community Hymn Singing, which was a special interdenominational service, held at the Methodist Church, Nigeria Diocese of Ikorodu, Ikorodu Circuit, Patriarch Bolaji Methodist Cathedral, Ita-Elewa, Ikorodu, on Sunday, May 26, 2019, were the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman, Imota Local Council Development Area, Hon. Wasiu Agoro,Alhaji Babatunde Rotinwa, Chairman, Lagos State Local Government Commission and Mr Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, Governorship candidate of ADP in the last general elections .
The former Deputy Governor, Prince Ogunleye, delivered the only scripture at the special service , reading from Psalm 67 of the Holy Book .
Mr Lanre Arogundade, Barr. Adeboye Dankwo, Deaconess Ranti Ogunleye, Barr. Jide Oduyebo, Mr Sunday Oshin, Prince Bisi Ogunlewe, Barr. Seun Aka, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Mrs Sola Kosoko and Mr Seun Elesho presented the ten hymns songs at the special service.
The Hymns songs were: Praise my soul the King, Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation, I will sing the wondrous story, “All hail the power of Jesus Christ”, “O what God offering shall I give”, “Love divine, all loves excelling”, “Immortal invincible”, “I could not do without thee”, “To God be the glory” and “Lead us, heavenly father lead us”.
Chief Shitta Olaribigbe, Cahirman of the Community Hymn Singing Planning Committee, while declaring the well-attended service opened, stated that the purpose of the gathering was to praise God.
“Our purpose of gathering here is to praise and thank God for our brother, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, for being a member of Methodist and for serving Lagos State successfully as a Commissioner.
“All these are worthy reasons to praise God”, he said.
Prince Ogunleye, while speaking during the service, stated that the Community Hymn Singing was organized to thank God for his life and opportunities availed to him while also appreciating Methodist Church for moulding his life.
“Our purpose here is to first and foremost, thank God for the life He has given us.
“To thank God for the opportunities and grace to serve humanity and God.
“To thank God for having my educational development in Methodist Primary School and Methodist High School. In those days, if there had been Methodist University, we could have gone there for our higher learning.
“It is also to uplift the work of God in this Church and in Methodist Church as a whole.
“His Excellency Mr Akinwunmi Ambode would have loved to be here but he has sent a very fat cheque to support the development of God’s work.
“Our incoming governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will also makes his presence felt as soon as he settled down in office . He is a good Christian and will do well for the House of Lord.
He recalled with nostalgia, his days at the Methodist primary and secondary schools in Ibadan.
“I want to pay tribute to some of my teachers in primary school. The one that impacted on me most was one Mr Osasuji from Ilesha and Mrs Fagade who taught me in primary six”, he stated.
“At the Methodist High School, I was in the boarding house and the first person I will reckon with is Revd. F.O Womiloju and when I was passing out, Revd. Olomolaiye”.
Prince Ogunleye stated that the schools shaped his life and helped him to become what he is today.
“All these people shaped my life. The Methodist also shaped my life.
“Staying in the boarding house during our days was really a great thing. We were really taught the Bible. I know virtually all these tunes (hymns songs at the community hymn singing). In fact, I can sing them off hand . I became a Chapel prefect in form four”, Prince Ogunleye recalled.
He revealed that Ikorodu community has a strong presence at the Methodist High School in Ibadan then.
“At the Methodist High School, Ibadan, we had a strong Ikorodu community there. When I entered form one, the place was bushy then. We were taught to see ourselves as students and you hardly could know who is a christian or muslim then.
“The Egbodokus were with us then but it never occurred to me that they were Muslims. We also had the Onafowokans and others. Arch (Taiwo) Kara passed out before us.
“So, we had a strong Ikorodu community there and I must be grateful to God for having passed through those experiences. They made me have the sense of what is right and wrong and that is why I always thread the path of righteousness.
Other party chieftains and dignitaries at the service were Otunba Olasunkanmi Tijani, Alhaji Lamidi Folorunsho, Alhaja Funmi Basorun, Otunba Ayodele Elesho, Pa Amos Oshin, Prince Biola Elseho, Alhaji Gafaar, Mr Olwatoyin Gafaar Bolowotan, Barr. Bayo Olomo, Chief Tele Oduloye, Alhaji Badru Enifeni, Arch. Taiwo Kara, Chief Shoderu, Alhaji Musliu Animashaun, Mr David Sunmoni, Oloye Oye Solebo, and Prince Bayo Ogunleye among others.
