President of Eko Club, Mr Abdulrasaq Olugbenga Amodu, said that the club has made numerous contributions to the cultural tapestry of Lagos State through its various dynamic cultural programmes.
Amode said this while speaking on Wednesday as the club celebrates its 50th anniversary with funfair amidst parade and display of rich socio-cultural heritage of the state by various cultural and traditional groups.
The programme, which was sponsored and packaged by Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos, as part of its ongoing 50th-anniversary celebration, witnessed the display of Eyos, masquerades, and Ojes, among others.
He stated, in his opening remark, that one cannot speak of the achievements of Eko Club without acknowledging its numerous contributions in this regard, saying that through its various dynamic cultural programmes, the club had nurtured budding talents, celebrated the rich heritage of the state and preserved the tradition for future generations.
“All these stand as a testimony to our commitment to showcasing the diverse cultural heritage of Lagos, which would make them be proud of what the heritage teaches them,” Amodu said.
He, however, commended past members and present members, whom he described as great men of honour and integrity that had contributed immensely to the growth and development of Eko Club.
The Royal Mother of the Day, Princess Abiola Dosunmu, who is the Erelu of Lagos, commended the Board and Management of Eko Club, for the great honour of preserving the rich socio-cultural heritage of Lagos.
The Erelu of Lagos equally commended their sense of patriotism and citizenship “to the massive development and growth experienced in the once upon small land of Eko Club in Surulere, that has now grown to be full of gigantic buildings and edifices.”
Earlier in his remark, the Royal Father of the Day, HRM Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeniyi, the Oba of Igbobi Sabe, expressed appreciation to the attendees for giving the state heritage a vital place, thus making it enviable for those coming behind to learn and even take to foreign countries.
The monarch noted that social clubs like Eko Club had contributed greatly, especially in addressing issues such as youth development and employment in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
High point of the ceremony was the eulogy of Lagos and displays of social-cultural heritage of Lagos by different Eyos, masquerades, and Ojes, comprising Eyo Agere, Eyo Ologede, Eyo Oniko, Eyo Laba Ekun, Eyo Adimu, Gelede Igbobi-Sabe, Oje Ayoka, Zangbetos, among others.
The Eyos and masquerades all came in sequential orders, paraded, and displayed their different cultural heritage, just as they prayed for members of the club, attendees, and the nation in general.
