…..AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE OWALOKO OF ILOKO-IJESA ALAYELUWA OBA (DR) AKEEM OLUSAYO OGUNGBANGBE, AJAGBUSI EKUN VI
AT THE CELEBRATION OF OSUN STATE 2023 WORLD TOURISM DAY AT ILOKO-IJESA ON WEDNESDAY 27TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.
The Executive Governor of Osun State, His Excellency Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, the Deputy Governor, Commissioner for Tourism, the Chairman House of assembly Committee on Tourism, the Chairperson Osun State Tourism Board, please allow me to stand on the establish protocol.
It is with a deep sense of gratitude to God and appreciation to the Osun State Government under the leadership His Excellency Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke that I heartily welcome you all to the Osun State celebration of 2023 world Tourism Day which His Excellency has graciously allowed it to hold in Iloko-Ijesa.
Your Excellency, Iloko Community feels highly humbled and exceedingly excited by this gesture. Let me state with all sense of modesty that the choice of Iloko as the venue of the celebration of this year’s World Tourism Day in Osun State is very instructive.
Iloko-Ijesa is one of the early settlements in Ijesa Land in particular and Yoruba land in general. It is a Community with very rich Traditional and Cultural Profile. In addition, Iloko-Ijesa is endowed with a number of Tourist potentials which are crying for the Government’s deliberate attention with the view to making it generate revenue for our dear State.
Your Excellency, it is my pleasure to list some of this Tourist Attractions with the hope of getting them listed for necessary attention by the Osun State Tourism Board:
1. OMI AFERO – spiritual stream use for healing and cure of various ailment situated on a 20 acre mass land destined to host a Zoo, Recreation Garden, Amusement park, Concert Hall and Museum.
2. OMI AAYO – healing and prayer dedicated by the late Apostle Ayo Babalola.
3. OMI OLOROWA – healing and prayer
4. OBALOGUN SHRINE – ILE ASE where Obas and Chiefs are coronated
5. A shrine at Ijeda Road where the community performs the annual Obalogun FESTIVAL
6. UGBO OJUBO – A traditional spiritual purpose to appease to God of divinity every year.
Your Excellency, distinguished Audience, Iloko-Ijesa is a very peaceful community with an enviable track record of self help spirit. It may interest you to know that all the infrastructural amenities in the town including Social, Medical and Educational were emplaced through Community self help.
I am therefore using this unique opportunity to appeal to the State Government to kindly accede to our requests for further development of our Community whenever we make such requests.
Your Excellency, distinguished Audience, it is on this note that I formally welcome you all heartily to Iloko-Ijesa Ilu Olokiki and the town of peace. I wish you all a memorable and a pleasant stay.
Thank you.
