Ibogun monarch celebrates one year of peaceful reign
Isaac Oguntoye
The ancient city of Ibogun in the Ibogun-Coker Local Council Development Area of Ogun State will from Monday, November 19 to Sunday, December 16, 2018 play host to ‘who-is-who’ in the Nigerian society when the Olu of Ibogun, Owu Kingdom and the Promoter of Ifa Olokun Foundation, Oba (Dr.) Fakayode Adesina Faluade, will celebrate his first year anniversary on the throne and the 19th edition of his annual Ifa Olokun Foundation festival.
Unveiling plans on the 12-day twin-programme during a chat with newsmen at his Ibogun palace, Ifo, Ogun State early in the week, Oba Faluade stated that highlights of the celebration will include Olokun worship, conferment of chieftaincy titles on deserving individuals, foundation laying ceremony of Ibogun community school, commissioning of school toilets, market stalls, street lights and transformer and hosting of the final stage of Ayo Opon competition.
According to the monarch, the grand finale, which will have fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1), on bandstand will hold at Ibogun Comprehensive High School, Egbeda-Ibogun, Ifo, Ogun State on Sunday, December 9, 2018, while special anniversary Jumat service and thanksgiving service will hold on Friday, December 14, 2018 and Sunday, December 16, 2018 at Ibogun Central Mosque and First Baptist Church, Ibogun-Olaogun respectively.
Throwing more light on the twin-programme, Oba Faluade stressed that cultural dance, courtesy visit to the Ibogun campus of Olabisi Onabanjo University, paying of traditional homage by trade groups and offer of royal blessings for the growth of the town would also form part of the epoch-making event.
The Ibogun monarch, however, used the opportunity to give gratitude to God Almighty for seeing him through his first 365 days on the exalted throne of his forebears as the Olu of Ibogun, Owu Kingdom, adding that the past one year of his reign had witnessed tremendous achievements, which impacted positively on the quality of life and economy of the people.
He thanked the people of Ibogun town for showing concerns towards the search for a rapid development in the community’s socio-economic life, noting that without their supports and encouragements, his successful 3-day free eye screening and treatment exercise for the people, huge donations to electrification challenges in the community, construction of toilets for primary schools in Ibogun-Olaogun, construction of market stalls in Ibogun-Egbeda and the proposed police post, event centre and health centre projects would have been a mirage.
While speaking on arrangements being put in place for the twin-celebration, Oba Faluade stated that all necessary arrangements to ensure the celebration was not only remarkable, but also hitch-free had been made, more so that his chiefs, members of the coronation anniversary planning committee, his family, friends, associates and well-wishers, home and abroad, had been working assiduously to ensure the anniversary becomes an event to remember for a long time.
