Kunle Adelabu
Major stakeholders in Igbogbo Kingdom, have explained that the interdenominational prayer session that usually takes place every January 1 at the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo, presented the community the opportunity to make prayer requests for the new year which, according to them, are always answered.
To this end, the community has resolved to continue with the tradition by assembling the traditional, Christian and Muslim communities to offer prayers for the kingdom, council, state and the nation at large.
To buttress the potency of the annual prayer session, the community, in 2023, witnessed massive developments and expansion – continuation of the Ipakodo/Igbogbo/Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Igbe road which started several years ago, continuation of the construction of the Igbogbo stadium which is nearing completion, completion and commissioning of the Nigeria Immigration Office – Igbogbo Passport Office, commencement of the Odofin/Igbogbo/Bayeku road and the inclusion of the dilapidated Igbogbo/Offin/Oreta road in the budget among many other developments.
While the chieftains of the traditional institutions in the community led by the Apena, High Chief Yahya Babatunde Agoro, gathered early in the morning at the Adeboruwa palace to offer special prayers for Igbogbo, Ikorodu Division, state and the country at large, the Christian and Muslim communities had an interdenominational prayer session afterwards, during which verses were read from the Holy Quran and Holy Bible, and special prayers offered.
Other religion leaders that joined the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Emugoriade I, his wife, Olori Tokunbo Kasali, and Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, at the prayer session were: the Odofin of Igbogbo, High Chief Tajudeen Onasanya, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA chapter, Pastor Ola Oke, Chief Imam, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Fadeeahtul -Sheikh Al – Imam Dhikrullah Abdulahi Andu (Tanimose), CAN Secretary, Revd. Friday Ileke and Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Elder Abayomi Adelakun among others.
Oba Kasali, while speaking, said that the annual gathering provided the community the opportunity to thank God for the preservation of lives and pray for the progress and peace.
“It is an annual event where we give glory to God, for sparing our lives to see the new year. It is a gathering that God, in His infinite mercy, put in our minds for us to bring all faiths in this community, to pray for peace and progress of the country”, the royal father said.
“It was the traditional leaders that first had their session, while the Muslims and Christians did a combined session to pray for the country and also prayed for the President to succeed in his venture, and for the Governor of Lagos State to succeed in all ramifications, so that we can experience uncommon progress in the state.
“We also offered prayer for the Local Government Chairman, that we will continue to witness progress in our land.
“We also pray for businessmen, children and everybody, that they will continue to live in peace and development and have prosperity in their homes”, Oba Kasali said.
The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, who said that his community witnessed unprecedented developments in 2023, said that they are using the gathering to thank God, and again, request for more developments in 2024.
“We gathered like this last year to pray and we experienced uncommon developments, this year, we are pleading to God to grant our prayers for another year of uncommon developments so that by next year, we will have the cause again to glorify and thank Him again”, the royal father said.
Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, said that the community is sustaining the practice because it is giving them results.
“Last year, we experienced developments and progress and not only through the government interventions, but residents are also prospering”, he said.
“Why we do this on an annual basis is because we have been seeing results and we believe that our prayers are always answered”.
The General Secretary, Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), Engr Lateef Oduntan, also spoke in the same vein that the annual prayer session has been of immense assistance for the Igbogbo community in terms of ensuring peace and developments.
The IDEA Secretary listed some of the progress made by the community last year, which necessitated the need for the gathering to thank God and request for more this year.
“We thank God, and today’s event has become an annual ritual. This is an event that we always use in thanking God, in the new year”, he said.
“Last year, we also had an inter – religious and interdenominational prayer session, with the traditional, Christian and the Muslim communities praying for the community, state and the nation at large
“We did this last year, and by the grace of God, we had peaceful elections and we also had several developmental projects in Igbogbo – continue construction of Igbogbo/Bola Ahmed Tinubu way and Igbogbo stadium, and the last year’s crusade by Bishop Ashimolowo whom God used to bring many people to the community with food items and medical services provided for the people.
“Also, we also opened a new Passport office in Igbogbo last year, which is an achievement. To crown it all, towards the end of last year, the long awaited construction of the Igbogbo/Oreta/Offin road which has been in a terrible state for many years, was included in the Supplementary budget by the federal government.
“All these gave us the cause to rejoice and thank God, and we pray that these developments will continue this year, as we pray for peace in the state and Nigeria as a whole”, he said.
