Amid pomp and ecstasy, indigenes and non-indigenes of Igede Ekiti, friends of the town and their well-wishers from far and near on Saturday, August 31, trooped out in their numbers to celebrate the traditional ruler of the town, the Onigede, Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru.
Oba Aladesuru was celebrated on the special occasion by the community and the state to commemorate his joining the league of octogenarians. Oba Aladesuru, one of the longest reigning monarchs in Ekiti State, was installed Onigede at the age of 26 on 26th June, 1959, having been born in August, 1933.
The week long event in commemoration of the monarch's 80th birthday anniversary, which commenced on Monday, August 23, witnessed array of events like cultural display and sundry activities organised to add glamour to the memorable occasion. Youth groups, as well as the Igede Progressive Union, were not found wanting in this regard.
The town was agog throughout the day of the grand finale, as traditionalists, the princes and princesses, fondly called the Omowas, all hierarchies of chiefs (Afobajes, Aares, Elegbes) and age groups called the Egiris in local parlance, defied the monthly environmental sanitation programme in the state and converged on the palace to celebrate the monarch. They were adorned in uniforms (Aso Ebi) and danced round the town in groups to celebrate the peaceful reign of the monarch, whom they proudly branded a ‘silent achiever’.
The event drew crème of personalities within and beyond Ekiti State. Among them were Governor Kayode Fayemi and other prominent traditional rulers in Yorubaland like the Onijanikin of Ijanikin, Lagos State, Oba Momodu Ashafa and wife, Olori Adebolu Ashafa, who is an indigene of the town. In the roll call of monarchs on the occasion were the Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers in Ekiti, Oba Adamo Babalola; his predecessor and the Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji; the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaye and the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju.
The list included the Elekole of Ikole Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Fasiku; Alaworoko of Iworoko Ekiti, Oba Micheal Aladejana; the Elesure of Esure Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibola; the Oniropora of Iropora-Ekiti, Oba Olonikuade; Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebare; the Olosi of Osi Ekiti, Oba Oladiran Agunbiade.
Others are: the Onigbemo of Igbemo Ekiti, Oba Adewumi Daramola, the Owa of Odo Ayedun Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Ajigbotoluwa; the Oniye of Iye Ekiti, Oba Akinleye Oni, among others.
The high point of the event was the conferment of honours on some prominent Nigerians, including the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade and chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and governorship aspirants, Mr Segun Olanrewaju and his wife, Chinwe Monu-Olanrewaju; and Dr Peter Obafemi.
Other honourees were: a retired worker of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Bamisile; High Chief and Chief Mrs Owolabi Salis, and a business mogul, Mr Gbenga Alade Joseph.
Other honourees were: a retired worker of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Mr. Ayo Bamisile; High Chief and Chief Mrs Owolabi Salis, and a business mogul, Mr Gbenga Alade Joseph.
Early on Saturday, a church service was organised in commemoration of the birthday at the Araromi Baptist Church, Igede Ekiti. At the church procession, Oba Aladesuru, flanked by his two oloris, danced and rendered various songs of praise to God for the privilege of joining the league of octogenarians. Oba Aladesuru told the congregation that he would forever be grateful to God for granting him longevity on the throne.
The monarch pointed out that he was installed the Oba of the town as a young man through God’s intervention, saying the grace of God had made him to weather the storm and lead Igede Ekiti this far. Commending his subjects for making his reign more meritorious, Oba Aladesuru said he would continue to humble himself before them and take useful advice that could advance the development of the town.
“Everything I have achieved was made possible by God. I am grateful to Him for granting me not only longevity, but good health. My subjects are also doing well in their chosen careers while development is coming to my town during my reign. Why shouldn’t I be grateful to God and my people who had made things easy for me,” Oba Aladesuru said. He promised to dedicate the rest of his life to the service of God and humanity, calling on his subjects to see themselves as one and work relentlessly towards the development of the town.
Delivering his sermon at the church service, the vicar-in-charge, Reverend Muyiwa Ige , described Oba Aladesuru as a Baptist devotee, who had served God diligently despite his traditional position.
Reverend Ige, who was supported by the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Reverend David Bolarinwa and other great Baptist clerics, said Oba Aladesuru had been able to prove cynics wrong that no monarch could have a peaceful reign without worshipping idols.
According to Reverend Ige, “Oba Aladesuru had a peaceful reign because he is a soldier of God. One thing that makes me proud of him is that he knows how to humble himself before God. He is one of the few Obas who believe that you can have a peaceful reign even without worshipping idols.”
Applying the context of arrogance to royalty, Reverend Ige, said: “As you see failure in governance, there is also failure in royalty. As an Oba, you don’t need to think that you are above your subjects. Take advice from them.
“One thing is significant in our royal fathers; they have no tenure, so they need to be grateful to God. Their tenure is permanent, they need not fear anybody. They should think of how good things could happen in their domains during their time and run an all-inclusive administration.
“Another way of failure is this erroneous impression that a king can only have a memorable reign if he worships idols. But this is not always the situation. With God, all things are possible. I urge you to come near God and by doing this you are humbling yourself and your reign would be remembered like that of King David.”
