Kunle Adelabu
-Obasa gets Adeoruwa Special Award
Efforts of the Igbogbo Kingdom in bringing together its people for community development and progress have been commended by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa.
Obasa, who was the Chairman of the 35th Igbogbo Day Celebration, spoke at the grand finale of the annual event held at the Igbogbo Stadium on Saturday, November 25, 2023.
This year’s edition was themed, “Ogo S’ogo” (Glory to Glory).
The number three citizen in Lagos State was honoured with the Adeboruwa Special Award at the ceremony.
In the same vein, HRM (Oba) Dr. Adeshina Sulaimon Raji (Ilufemiloba), the Oniba Ekun of Iba Kingdom, who was the Royal Father of the Day, also commended the residents for their collaboration which he said he has learnt from.
Aside from using the Igbogbo Day Celebration to celebrate achievements of the community and show its rich cultural heritage, the annual event also provides the platform to raise funds for developmental projects.
“I thank the people in Igbogbo for supporting the leadership of this community, particularly your cooperation with our Kabiyesi. Seeing you all here today, it is a testimony that you are always together with our Kabiyesi”, Rt. Hon. Obasa said.
“There is nothing much to talk with you, but to preach love and unity. For any community to grow, what we need and most important is collaboration among the people of the community, and here is testimony that what we have here in Igbogbo is strong pillar of unity.
“I must emphasise that we continue to work together as a people. Every nation that must be successful must have its people together, and as we agree that Igbogbo is a strong community in our state, it is very essential to sustain this unity and coming together annually”, he said.
Obasa also charged the royal father and residents of Igbogbo on the need to also explore the economic potentials of the annual celebration and not focus on the social angle alone.
“We must not only look at the social aspect of it, we must start thinking about how this can be beneficial to this community and to the people of this community, and that is why I am encouraging everybody who have anything to display them so that we can patronize ourselves”, Obasa charged.
“If we don’t sell the good value of our community, who is going to do it for us? That’s my major message for today, and we must learn to come together, no matter what your status is; the level of your education; the family you are from. The most important thing is for us to collaborate and work together.
While assuring guests and residents of positive turnaround of the Nigerian economy under President Bola Tinubu, Obasa also charged them to continue to collaborate with the government at the federal, state and local levels.
“We are all useful, irrespective of our status. We are all useful to the community, the state and the nation, and I know that Nigeria will prosper, particularly under the leadership of our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This nation will continue to grow”, Lagos Speaker said.
“We have seen his commitment and readiness to take this country from where it is to another level. Likewise, the Governor of Lagos State, he is doing well.
“We seek the collaboration of our people at the federal, state and the local levels. They should all come together to support our leaders.
“Our contribution must start from observing and respecting the laws. We must respect and honour the laws of the state and by so doing, we will continue to achieve success”, he said.
“I want to congratulate all of us. I want to congratulate everybody in Igbogbo, particularly, our Kabiyesi, for this wonderful occasion and the commitment to see this wonderful community grow. This is the 35th edition, so, it shows that it has been a while that it has been going on and I believe that it would continue to go on”, Obasa said.
HRM (Oba) Sulaimon Raji, the Oniba Ekun of Iba Kingdom, the Royal Father of the Day, who said that he learnt something useful in Igbogbo, commended the Igbogbo community for its organization, unity and collaboration.
The Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, speaking earlier, said that the Igbogbo Day Celebration has over the years turned into a platform where the community mobilise its indigenes and residents for development.
“It is good to note that this annual celebration of Igbogbo Kingdom, that brings home and together all the good people of Igbogbo Kingdom, as well as many other people of goodwill from outside, has become a major platform for the development of Igbogbo Kingdom and its people, over the years”, he said.
“The ceremony provides an excellent opportunity for assessment and stewardship in terms of growth and development of Igbogbo Kingdom as our common heritage.
“It provides the opportunity to evaluate, to plan, to strategize and to mobilize towards our Kingdom’s sustainable growth and development, for the purpose of ensuring the common good and happiness of the indigenes and other inhabitants as well. It has, therefore, become an occasion that we all look forward to year after the other”.
Daini said that the theme for this year’s celebration was deliberately selected because of the tremendous developments that Igbogbo is witnessing.
“The theme for this 35th anniversary is very apt not only because it reflects the developmental strides that we have collectively achieved in the kingdom between last year and today, but also because Igbogbo has significantly transformed to become a place of pride for indigenes and non-indigenes in Lagos State and beyond due to the aggregation of the collective efforts of our royal father, political leaders, community leaders, and many of us here seated”, he said.
HRM Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Emugoriade I, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, in his royal message, expressed his happiness at the success of the 35th edition of the Igbogbo Day Celebration.
He charged residents of the town to be creative and initiate developmental projects to enable lgbogbo takes its place of pride among other communities.
“My joy knows no bounds in admiration of the enthusiasm displayed by our sons, daughters, residents and friends of Igbogbo Kingdom all over the world in commemoration of the community day. My sincere hope is for this to grow in leaps and bounds for it is a pathway to accelerated growth”, the royal father said.
“Our most desirable goal is that we can become a model for other communities. This is attainable through re-inventing our creative capabilities such-like endowments for that purpose. These energies were the sorts used by the societies which became renowned, and only those who are challenged by these feats create similar honours for their lands and, indeed, for themselves.
“Self-help efforts are patented and as such are the tools that should be employed by every community to resolve specific applicable prayers of the land”, Adeboruwa said.
While commending the founding fathers of the annual celebration, Oba Kasali charged residents to join him in not only sustaining the tradition, but also in continuing to achieve its set goals.
“Igbogbo Day debuted with set goals. I owe the architects profound appreciation. This and future generations salute their service”, Adeboruwa said.
“Now, I must beckon on the Lord Divine to take charge, lead and impact greatly upon all spheres to give us prosperity beyond our expectations. “Ògo Sí Ògo” (Glory To Glory) is the chosen theme for this year’s community day. We commit it unto the Almighty God to re-invent, yet invent and dedicate human, material, physical and financial resources for our land for an all-round enduring prosperity”, the royal father said.
Other royal fathers at the celebration were: His Royal Majesties, Oba Kabir Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota, Oba Bashir Sotonwa, the Sekumade of Ipakodo, Oba Richard Ogunsanya, the Olubeshe of Ibeshe, Oba Olukayode David Raji, Ewye of Isiu, Oba Ahmed Moruf Olalekan Ogunnaike, the Alagura of Agura, Oba Monsuru Abimbola Oladega, the Olu of Agboyi, Oba Muslim Abiodun Ogunbo, Oba of Ogombo and Oba (Dr) Nojeemdeen Abidemi Aberejo, the Alakesan of Akesan.
Also, guests at the event were: Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Asiwaju of Igbogbo, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru represented by Dr (Otunba) Saheed Ibikunle, Honourable Commissioner Bisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oabfemi Musa Ogunlana, Auditor – General/Permanent Secretary, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun, representative Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and Engr. Charles Longe, former National President, Oriwu College Old Students’ Association of Nigeria (OCOSAN) among others.
The fuji maestro, Alhaji Saheed Osupa, entertained guests and residents at the event as clubs, associations, political groups, cultural groups, community associations, market associations and others gathered under their respective canopies to partake in the celebration.
