RETURN HOME TO BUILD LEGACY: KAKA TASKS IJEBU IGBO DESCENDANTS

*OJUDE OBA 2020: RETURN HOME TO INVEST AND BUILD LEGACY – KAKA, OKUNOWO, OTHERS CHARGE IJEBU IGBO DESCENDANTS*

Olu Steve

3rd of August, 2020

The year 2020 Ojude Oba celebration in Ijebu Igbo took a new dimension in spite of Covid-19 restriction order by the government as Ijebu Igbo descendants UK Chapter organised a symposium on webinar where His Excellency, Senator Adegbenga Kaka and a host of other speakers charged all Ijebu Igbo citizens to remember their home-town for good.

By tradition, Ojude Oba, a socio-cultural carnival, is celebrated yearly on the third day of Eid-el Kabir (Odun Ileya) in Ijebuland. The Eid-el kabir is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his Son. It is one of the Islamic ordinances that Muslims around the world observe yearly.

By the prevailing circumstances all around the world, this year’s edition took a new dimension as the celebration went on digital due to the wide spread of Covid-19 pandemic in the country by which the government ordered the restriction of physical gathering, an order that deprived Muslims from going to praying ground and celebrating the Ojude Oba carnival In the usual way.

But to ensure this year’s edition remains memorable, the UK Chapter of Ijebu Igbo Descendants organised the first of its kind symposium on webinar where indigenous speakers were invited to honourably talk on the dynamics of community developments – the responsibility of the citizens.

In an online event that was spiced with solemn melodious music by DJ, the Baba Adinni of Ijebu Igbo Muslim Faithfuls – former deputy governor and Senator, Alhaji Adegbenga Sefiu Kaka, in his gifted eloquent sagacity, sparked the event with insightful admonitions, encouraged all Ijebu Igbo descendants to return home and invest rightly so as to collectively build the economic prosperity of the land for the sake of youth development and empowerment.

His Excellency, Alh. Kaka spoke extensively on the uniqueness of politics in community development, with emphasis on building a good legacy through the patriotic expedition of entrusted dividend.

As the event progressed, another outstanding speaker was Revr’d Franklin Ranti Okunowo who is the resident Pastor of Living Spring Church, London. He also spoke passionately to inspire on the need to look inward to bring out the desired change. In his word, the Man of God admonished all descendants of Ijebu Igbo to stop looking at the town from the point of what is wrong, but rather on the strength. He said, “change begins from inside. Lets look at what is strong that we can build up together to attract development to the town.”

It was an inspiring, motivating, insightful and reminiscing moment with which the moment was explored to pray for the glory and development of the town by the new Chief Imam of Ijebu Igbo, who simultaneously sparked the moment with admonition for all citizens to walk the good path of Prophet Mohammad (SWA) so as to be good ambassadors of Ijebu Igbo.

Before the programme was brought to a close by the hosts, Otunba Ola Busari – the IIDUK president and Mr. Kunle Hamzat, the representative of Youth, the deputy State Chairman of Ogun State NYCN, Comrade Senbadejo, used the medium to appeal to Elders and the privileged wealth creationists to invest in youth development for the sake of better future of the community. In his word, Senbadejo said, “investing in youth is a good measure of insuring the future of the community”

In concluding remarks, the hosts expressed joy in the successful event, appreciating all the invited speakers with optimism to build on this maiden edition next year to achieve the desired plight for the town.