Kunle Adelabu
It was a memorable moment of reunion for the elders in Ikorodu at the 2019 the Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) Elders’ Day organized to fete and celebrate them.
This year’s edition of the event hosted several years back provided many of the senior citizens in attendance the rare opportunity to reunite with their old friends and compatriots who they had lost touch with due to old age.
The special event, which was organized for elders that have clocked 80 years and above, was held at the banquet hall of the Ayangbure palace in Ikorodu, on Sunday, November 24, 2019.
The elders were treated to good meals, drinks and were also presented with gift items by the organisers in appreciation of their contributions to the development of Ikorodu.
They also interacted with His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr.) Kabir Adewale Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, on issues bothering on the development of lkorodu while they also listened and danced to good old and traditional songs of their time among these were songs by Haruna Ishola, Muse Agbaku, Ayinla Omowura and others.
Among the notable elders at the event were Alhaji M.K. Sanni, the founder and former State Coordinator of the Neigbourhood Watch who chaired the occasion, Chief Zaccheus Odusoga, the Olisa of ikorodu, Chief Jacob Kolawole Adaraloye, the Oponuwa of Ikorodu, Chef Animashan, the Mosene of Ikorodu, Chief Fatai Shodipo, the Olumale of Ikorodu, Chief Olutosin the Olootu Rademo Ruling House, Prince Sunday Owolabi Ogede, the Olootu of Lasunwn Ruling House, Otunba David Ekiyoyo, former Chairman, IKODASS, Alhaja Taofikat Allison, the Iya-Oloja General of Ikorodu Division, Elder Amos Oshin, a retired School Head and Trustee of the African Church Bethel Cathedral, Ikorodu, Pa Alogba, father of the Lagos Chief Judge and Olori Oluwayemisi Oredoyin, wife of the former Alajede of Ijede.
Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, the Chairman of IKODASS, speaking at the event, stated that the elders are being celebrated in order to assure them that they are still being appreciated by the community and also to provide them platform to reconnect.
“The purpose of initiating this programme is to state that we appreciate our elders in this part of the world. We found the act by some Africans to keep their old people in the Old Peoples’ Home as it is being done in foreign countries as distasteful and un-African”, he stated.
“We want to show them that we appreciate their presence among us and prove that we do take care of our elders and not abandon them in a home.
“We also think that due to old age which curtails their movement around the community, there is need to bring them together and fraternize with their old friends.
“Through this platform, they can reconnect, share good old memories and catch fun”, he added.
Abiru also stated that the initiative also afforded them the opportunity to thank the seniorcitizens for their contributions to the development of the lkorodu community and creation and sustenance of IKODASS.
The Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Sanni, thanked IKODASS for the initiative and commended Otunba Abiru for his leadership roles.
He recalled the events that led to the creation of Neighbourhood Watch in Ikorodu and how the state government adopted the idea and replicated it throughout Lagos State and the role played by the late Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi.
Alhaji Sanni called for close monitoring of the activities of the commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called, ‘Okada riders’ and tricycle (Keke Maruwa) operators in Ikorodu while also calling on the Oba Shotobi and other stakeholders to check the excesses of traders that are displaying their goods on the road and making free movement difficult for motorists and other road users in and around Ikorodu garage roundabout and other parts of the community.
In his royal remarks at the event, Oba Shotobi commended IKODASS, under the leadership of Otunba Abiru, for organizing elders in the community to interact with him and also thanks participants for honouring for the invitations.
“This is very thoughtful of IKODASS under Otunba Abiru’s leadership to have invited our elders to interact with me. It is a very commendable initiative and the entire Ikorodu thank you for this”, Oba Shotobi stated.
“You can all see that Ikorodu has grown tremendously since your youthful days. Your prayers then that Ikorodu will become headquarters of other communities has been answered with developments”.
Responding to the plea by the chairman of the occasion, Oba Shotobi stated that illegal trading has persisted because the government and market management are collecting levies from the traders flouting government rules regarding illegal trading.
The monarch also called for regular meeting between the palace and the elders to exchange ideas.
“This (celebration of elders) must not be restricted to IKODASS alone. We are going to arrange for another one very soon because it provides the platform to get the inputs of our elders no how to do things right and also to discuss other issues of importance”.
The elders at the event were engaged in games such as Ludo, draught and card to make the evening gathering more exciting and memorable.
