Nationnewslead reports that After a two-year break, Ojude Oba Festival has made a spectacular return in the ancient town of Ijebu -Ode, Ogun State, where Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu today urged the Southwest to support All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The palace of Awujale, the paramount traditional ruler of Ijebu kingdom, came alive with ceremonial parades of colourful Aso Ebi. Indigenes, attired in beaded materials, led processions in batches to pay homage to the king – Alayeluwa Sikiru Adetona with over two millions people across worldwide
After the rite, they filed into the Royal Arcade in front of the palace to settle for the elaborate ceremony.
Sanwo-Olu who was the special guest of honour and his Ogun State counterpart Prince Dapo Abiodun and Telecom Activist & National President of Telecom Subscribers across Nigeria, Hon Prince Adesina Jelili Oloruntele Bilesanmi aka Ojueko on Monday arrived at his Fatherland’s city Ijedu-Ode, Ogun state for the 2022 Ojude Oba festival.
Association Of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers Of Nigeria, on stage with Globacom to present gift item’s to Glo subscribers the opportunity to win 5 Tricycles, 10 Television sets and 10 Grinding machines as you Glo your world.
ATCIS the leading telecom advocacy masses advocacy body that promote Subscriber interests as well as defends Subscriber right by promoting and endorsed good product and service from Mobile Network Operator, Cable Tv and Internet Service providers company to our association member’s across 36 States converge within six geopolitical zone with over 200 million Subscribers membership in Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu’s entry into the arena literally moved the crowd of revelers into an outburst of excitement, lighting up the event as he stopped at each gallery to greet the Councils of Regberegbe (social clubs of Ijebu descendants).
The Lagos helmsman arrived in company of his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the host Governor and Prince Sina Bilesanmi, National President, Telecom Subscribers across ATCIS-Nigeria
The centuries-old festival has become the heritage of the Ijebu and has its roots in Islamic celebration of Eid-el Adha in which early Muslim reverts in the town converged on the Awujale palace on the third day to feast with the monarch.
Sanwo-Olu said the Ojude Oba Festival had stayed true to its Islamic roots and had become a unifying occasion for people, regardless of their faiths, tribes and dialects.
Under the reign of Oba Dr Sikiru Adetona, Lagos Governor said the festival had grown to become a global carnival recognised across the world by people of Yoruba origin.
Sanwo-Olu said: “The Ojude Oba Festival has, for ages, stayed true to its Islamic roots and has also expanded to become a unifying symbol and occasion for people of all faiths, tribes, and tongues; as well as a global celebration of Ijebu heritage and culture.
“We must never lose sight of this unifying element, at a time when the forces of division seem to be working so actively to undermine all that we cherish as a people. Celebrations like Ojude Oba remind us that evil will never triumph over good.”
Sanwo-Olu, who became the third sitting Lagos Governor to be invited to grace the Ojude Oba fiesta, said the festival had become an enduring platform fostering unity.
In the spirit of the unity for which the festival is reputed, Sanwo-Olu urged the entire Yoruba race to forge a common front in support of Tinubu, a Yoruba son and leading presidential candidate in the next year general election.
The Governor said the opportunity offered by the APC to Yoruba to produce the next president must not be allowed to slip away, noting that Tinubu had made several sacrifices to keep the Yoruba race relevant in the Nigerian project.
“As Asiwaju famously said, it is the turn of the Yoruba to produce the president. We need not waste this opportunity but to grab it and have our leader, who is a detribalised Nigerian, to lead the country. I urge all sons and daughters of Yoruba to come out in support of Tinubu to realise this ambition,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Governor pointed out that his presence at the event underscored the partnership between Lagos and Ogun, which led to the establishment of Joint Development Commission in 2021 to collaborate on key areas of mutual benefit and development, while accelerating socio-economic growth for people.
He said: “The peoples of Lagos and Ogun share a long historical and cultural bond, shaped by the same forces and experiences, nourished by the same waterways, and living up to the same Omoluabi standards and ideals.
“The road network linking Ijebu-Ode, Epe and Lekki is yet another concrete manifestation of our collaboration. Ogun State has completed their own stretch, while we will complete our own end this year, opening up new commercial and logistics opportunities in that axis, and positively impacting the lives of our people.”
Gov Dapo Abiodun praised Lagos for being a supportive neighbour, as he also used the occasion to admonish the youth against cultism and vices that could dent the image of Ogun State.
On why Sanwo-Olu was specially invited to grace the occasion, Oba Adetona, the 58th Awujale, said the Governor had become a shining star in the present class of public officers, distinguishing himself with service-centred leadership.
This, the monarch, said endeared Sanwo-Olu to the citizens beyond the boundaries of Lagos and established his name as a symbol of responsive governance in the country.
Appreciates the Telecoms giant Globacom had earlier unveiled a special Subscriber promo tagged Ojude Oba Special as part of activities marking its sponsorship of the festival for 2022. That will avail Glo subscribers the opportunity to win 5 Tricycles, 10 Television sets, and 10 Grinding machines,
To win any of these prizes, a new Glo subscriber is required to activate a Glo Sim and recharge with a minimum of N1,500, while existing subscribers will need to recharge a minimum of N1,000 before the July 8, 2022, to qualify for the draws.
Subscribers who miss the pre-event raffle period could simply spend N5,000 or more at the festival ground on the Glo network to stand a chance of winning any of the prizes.
“Our collaboration with the Ojude Oba Planning Committee is meant to celebrate the unique tradition of the Ijebu people and foster the cause of tourism which Ojude Oba has promoted for more than 100 years. This festival, which has gained globaly recognition, attracts tourists from other parts of Nigeria and the diaspora,” Glo regional manager in Ogun State Ikenna Aguwuom said.
Prince Sina Bilesanmi the son of the soil, Telecom Activist and National President, Association of Telephone, Cable Tv & Internet Subscribers of Nigeria appreciate, and said the company added that it was delighted to contribute to the further development of Ijebuland since the festival has become an avenue for all sons and daughters of the land to converge and plan for the growth of Ijebuland and its people.
The coordinator, Ojude Oba Planning Committee Dr.Fassy Yusuff gave kudos to Globacom, whom he described as a “Partner of choice” for its consistency in sponsoring the festival in the last 16 years.
On advocacy alone ATCIS-Nigeria has spent about N508 million naira according to financial records since 2014 till to date, which has been on self-sponsored by Subscriber members without government agency’s in Nigeria.
Musicians that perform at the festival are Teni, Obesere, Haruna Ishola among others.
Association of Telephone, Cable Tv & Internet Subscribers of Nigeria has made several impact history in what people believe it can’t possible with over 799 newspaper publications, both local and international as well as online news publications, Radio and National Television Station Interviews with about 268 Success achievements so far to the benefit of every Subscribers across the country Nigeria.
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