Kunle Adelabu
It was a moment of fulfilment and joy for the Balogun and Gbelegboye of Igbogbo Kingdom, High Chief Jelili Adesola Oduntan and his family, as he celebrated his 70th birthday anniversary in grand style.
The occasion also marked the 18th year of his installation as the Balogun and Gbelegboye of Igbogbo Kingdom.
Gracing the celebration which held at the Igbogbo country home of the were His Royal Majesties, Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo and Oba David Balogun Raji, Eweye of Isiwu, High Chiefs, Baales, community leaders, political leaders, professionals among many others.
Oba Kasali, in his royal message, welcomed guests to the occasion and also congratulated the celebrant whom he called Baba 70.
“I praise the Almighty God for today. I greet all the Chiefs, Baales and everyone present here today. I equally greet the celebrant, Baba 70. I greet you and pray the joy that God has given you will never depart your life and household”, Oba Kasali prayed.
The royal father, who also welcomed his counterpart from Isiwu, Oba Oluwakayode Raji, the Eweye of Isiwu, charged Balogun to always appreciates God in his life.
“What I am going to tell Balogun now is that he should keep on giving thanks to God for what God has done for him. Balogun and l talk almost every time, and what I always tell him is that God has given him set of good children who are good gifts from God, and I do tell him to be patient”, Adeboruwa said.
“May God continue to bless you all, and I will appeal to you all that we should love ourselves and be our brother’s keepers. That will be my message for everyone here, thank you”.
Also speaking, the Eweye of Isiwu, Oba Balogun congratulated the celebrant whom he described as his brother and the celebrant’s wife that the royal father said is her in – law.
He prayed for him and wish him many more active years on earth.
Earlier, Mr Babatunde Oduntan, son of the celebrant, in his welcome address earlier, traced the birth of the celebrant from a humble beginning to position of reckoning in the society.
“Some seventy years ago, in a shelter made with mud and roofed with palm tree fronts, coma a cry of a newborn baby boy. With no pastured milk, cereal, or western medications, but herbs, this little boy grew and sailed through the hardship nature bestowed upon him”, the celebrant’s son said.
“This boy has transcended various phases of life which have helped to shape and developed him into a successful person. Also, this little boy grew to become a man who only wasn’t determined to ensure his children never faced such hardship he faced while growing up, but also strived hard to be a personality worthy of emulation.
“This man is no one, but my father, HIGH CHIEF JELILI ADESOLA ODUNTAN (Gbelegboye1 and the Balogun of the Igbogbo Kingdom). So, I say to you all, I am proud to be the son of this man”, he announced with pride.
He described the celebrant as a loving father and a man that cares about others.
“It is a great privilege for me to have you all here today to celebrate my father’s (HIGH CHIEF JELILI ADESOLA ODUNTAN) 70th birthday and 18th-anniversary journey of his chieftaincy titles within the Igbogbo Kingdom. This man has always been a loving husband and a caring father, a role model to all and sundry, and a philanthropist within the society.
“I am confident to say that this man we are celebrating today is a good, loving, kind, and respectful husband. He has always sought the opinion of his wife who is my mother in all matters that pertain to the family; as opposed to some husbands who see themselves as the sole decision makers of the family”.
Babatunde thanked royal fathers and other eminent personalities that graced the celebration for coming around to honour his father.
