As Osun state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, marks his 64th birthday and is installed as Asiwaju of Ede-land on Monday, a former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Chairman, Osun Council of Obas, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde; Africa’s richest woman and a business mogul, Mrs Folorunso Alakija are among the important dignitaries expected to grace the occasion.
The Chairman, Central Planning Committee of the Installation, Senator (Akogun) Kamorudeen Olalere Oyewumi, who made these known at a press conference in Ede on Sunday, stated that the former president would be the father of the day while Ooni Of Ife will be the Royal Guest of Honour and Engineer Makinde will be host to his other Governor colleagues from different states of the federation.
He stressed that Africa’s richest man, business mogul and Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote is going to grace the occasion as the Chief launcher while the Chief Executive Officer of Bovas Petroleum, Chief (Mrs) Victoria Adunola Samson (Mama Bovas) is the Co-launcher.
He added that Mrs Alakija would be the mother of the day while the Chairman/CEO of Pacific Holdings Ltd and President of Adeleke University, Ede, Dr Adedeji Adeleke is the host.
According to him, the programme will be 3-in-1 comprising of birthday, chieftaincy installation and launching of an appeal fund for the construction of an ultra-modern palace for the Timi of Ede land, Oba (Dr) Munirudeen Adesola Lawal.
Dr Oyewumi disclosed that the conferment of the title on Senator Ademola Adeleke is at the instance of no other person than His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr) Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa( I) in acknowledgement and recognition of Senator Adeleke’s contribution to the growth and development of Ede land in particular and Osun state at large.
“In the same vein, the highly revered and respected Timi also took into cognizance the enormity of the entire Adeleke dynasty’s contribution to the growth and development of Ede, Osun State and Nigeria at large. In other words, it is just a way of showing appreciation, not only to His Excellency, the Governor but to the entire Adeleke dynasty of Ede by the Timi of Ede in collaboration with the Timi in Council”.
“You can then imagine the importance of the installation and its attendant significance, not only to the people of Ede, where the Adelekes hail from but Osun State in general”.
“On behalf of the Central Planning Committee, I wholeheartedly welcome our distinguished guests from all walks of life to Ede, tomorrow. We also want to see and describe tomorrow’s programme as another avenue for the Government and good people of Osun state to show the hospitality, friendliness and conviviality of the state to the array of dignitaries from different parts of the world.”
“To this end, the Planning Committee under my watch as the Chairman, is using this opportunity to appeal to the good people of the state not to be found wanting in the exhibition of the usual Omoluabi ethos to our teeming dignitaries before, during and after the programme on Monday,” he concluded.
