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The gathering of the sons and daughters of Igbomina land at the Saint James Anglican Primary School, Iludun Oro, Irepodun local government, Kwara State for the grand finale of the 13th Igbomina Day celebration on Saturday, has, no doubt, marked the 2024 as pivotal year for the Igbomina people.
It was an event that had Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in attendance, and he was actually the center of attention.
Senator Lola Ashiru, who represents Kwara South in the senate, also attended the event while the two remaining senators from the state; Senator Sadiq Umar and Senator Salihu Mustapha not only sent representatives but also donated N5 million and N10 million respectively.
Senator Salihu Mustapha was the Chief Launcher at the event .
While giving his speech, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq ,who was met with overwhelming excitement from the people at the event, commended the Igbomina people for their can-do spirit and longstanding culture of self-help, which has resulted in their success in education and enterprise.
He urged all the citizens of the state, including the people of Igbomina, to always embrace peace and eschew ethnic division so as to promote national unity and development.
He said the Igbomina Day celebration typifies how to sustain communal bonds and collaborate for higher goals while congratulating the people of Igbomina land and commending them for the continued support for his administration.
He also specially commended the Igbomina monarchs under Olupo of Ajase Ipo, Oba Ismaila Yahaya Alebiosu’s leadership for their support.
Oba Ismaila Yahaya Alebiosu is the Chairman of the Igbomina Traditional Council.
‘I urge you not to give up on the impressive cultural legacy of self-help handed over by your forebears. There is also a need for national unity and less emphasis on ethnic division, which creates division, disunity, and under development.
This government is for all, including the people of Igbomina who are not only robustly represented in government but have also benefitted hugely from the administration’s rural and urban development initiatives’ he said.
The governor listed some of the road projects in Igbomina land to include
Arandun-Esie-Oro Road; Owu Fall Road; Orisa Bridge, Oro Ago; Omu Aran Oko Road; Owode Ofaro-Alabe Road; and Ajase-Ipo Okeiya Road; among others.
‘I am impressed at the gathering today, and I congratulate the people of Igbomina land on this occasion. I don’t need to stress the importance of fostering a sense of community and collaboration, which this is all about.
We are going to deepen our investments in primary healthcare facilities, basic, secondary, and tertiary education most especially. Coming to years ahead, we will do a lot of work on tertiary education. I invite you all to sustain the support for the government as we tackle the issue of security’ he added.
AbdulRazaq also commiserated with the Igbomina people on the recent death of the leader of the hunters, Chief Luqman Balogun (Jagun), and prayed God to repose his soul, while promising that his legacy will not be forgotten.
He also appreciated the people for their constant engagements and support, which, he noted, have continued to assist the government to succeed.
Chairman of the occasion, Senator Lola Ashiru emphasized the need to balance modernization with preservation while lamenting that ‘our distinct and melodic Igbomina dialect’ is fast going into extinction.
‘We must quickly address this challenge and initiate programmes and measures that will promote the Igbomina dialect . I am happy that the Igbomina Radio was conceived and birthed to cater for things of this nature. We will ensure that the station comes back to life and fulfill its obligations’ he said.
He also noted that inter-generational collaboration is key to cultural continuity while adding that cultural tourism and entrepreneurship opportunities should be exploited for the economic growth of ‘our people’.
National President of Omo Ibile Igbomina , Elder Gabriel Yemi Jimoh, in his speech, disclosed that the National Executive Council of the association has successfully revived the Asepo Omo Igbomina , a socio-cultural association for Igbomina people in Osun State and Kwara State to enhance unity among Igbomina people in the two states in question.
‘The association is also working towards bringing traditional rulers of Igbomina extraction in the two states together for the greatness of Igbomina land’ he said.
Jimoh also said the NEC under his leadership has for the first time produced a compendium of Igbomina through which the human and natural resources that Igbomina land has been endowed with were showcased while it also featured tourist centers that can serve as revenue-yielding ventures .
‘It is a document for all Igbominas, for students, school libraries and individuals and a treasure for future generations’ he added.
The event was attended by dignitaries including Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, representative of the Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye; Senator Saliu Mustapha, who was represented by Chief Isaac Gbenle, Senator Lola Ashiru; Senator Sadiq Umar; who was represented by Hon Al-Hasaan Bagudu, Rep Raheem Ajulo-opin; the governor’s Special Adviser on Special Duties Alhaji Abdulrazhaq Jiddah; members of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon AGF Salahudeen, Hon Razaq Olatunde Owolabi, and Hon Shola Odetundun, Chairman , Ifelodun local government, Hon Femi Yusuf, Olupo of Ajase Ipo, Oba Ismaila Yahaya Alebiosu; Elese of Igbaja, Oba Ahmed Babalola Awuni (Arepo II); Olomu of Omu Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti; Olupako of Share, Oba Haruna Olawale Sulyman; Oloro of Oro, Oba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye; Asiwaju of Oro kingdom, retired Admiral AbdulAzeez Afolayan, Founder of Al-Hikmah University, Alhaji Raheem Oladimeji, Oloriewe of Oro kingdom, Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, Bar. Abdulkareem Alabi, Elder Oyin Zubair and retired Justice Ibrahim AbdulRaheem of the Shariah Court of Appeal.
Omo Ibile Igbomina received donations from attendees of the event and their representatives including Senator Lola Ashiru, who donated N5 million and Hon Razaq Owolabi, who donated N500,000 and also announced N2.5 million on behalf of Rep Ismail Tijani.
In a telephone interview with our reporter,, Chief Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun, who noted that he was unavoidably absent at the event, said the Igbomina people will cherish the memory of the governor turning up at the grand finale of the 13th Igbomina Day and adding colour to it.
He also commended him for taking steps to change the face of Kwara South especially Igbomina land through infrastructure projects.
The governor, he also noted, has continued to show his love for the Igbomina people by not only honouring them with his presence but also donating the sum of N5 million to Omo Ibile Igbomina which was done to support the association in carrying out its activities.
‘He has continued to show us that he is our friend. Our revered Olupo of Ajase Ipo has just been appointed as Chancellor of Kwara State University, Ilorin. Also, there are several infrastructure projects that have come our way including the Owu Falls Road phase (I) , Omu Aran Oko Road Rehabilitation ,Arandun-Esie-Oro – the 20km-long Arandun Township Roundabout-Esie-Oro Township Road , Ajase-Ipo-Okeya Ipo – Ajase Ipo-Oke Iya road in Irepodun local government, spanning 12 kilometres, Osin-Laduba, Oke Ogun-Awolowo, Owode Ofaro-Alabe – completion of the Idera-Alabe section of the Ilere District Road, which started from Owode Ofaro and Aboto Oja-Alata.
Kwara South which before now had been given the short end of the stick when it comes to infrastructure development now enjoys needed attention, the story and the narrative is changing for the better.
Owu Falls has the potential to be a game changer for the service economy of the state through its tourism potential; we should also note that visitors in large numbers have continued to visit the Esie Museum as a result of the investment in the Museum Road by Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The governor is truly our friend and that was why he got a warm welcome at the event today’ he added.
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