… Laments Neglect of Communiy
By Joseph Treasure
All is now set for the birthday celebration of the longest serving monarch in Nigeria, His Royal Highness, the Onigede of Igede Ekiti Kingdom, Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru, JP.
The monarch is celebrating his set to celebrate his 90th birthday on the earth and sixty four on the throne.
The event which will take place on Saturday, the 2nd of September, 2023 is expected to attract personalities from all works of life.
In an interview with Journalists, the monarch thanked God for how far he has come just as he lamented the neglect of his town.
According to him, the current deplorable state of Igede Ekiti township roads was embarrassing, hence he called on Governor Biodun Oyebanji to come to their aid.
Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the government of Ekiti State to as a matter of necessity and importance give priority to the development of Igede Ekiti Kingdom and see to ways of improving and upgrading the infrastructural facilities in the community.
According to him, he said, “our roads needs to be reconstructed. I am begging the Governor and the Ekiti State Government to do it for us so that we can access anywhere we want to”.
Also, in a separate interview with the Ajiroba of Igede Ekiti Kingdom, Chief Felix Ayodeji Adebolu pleaded with the current Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to help mobilize the contractors handling Ado Igede road to return to site.
In his own message, the Adara of Igede Ekiti Kingdom, Chief Peter Adeyinka Olayinka Adeleye called for the establishment of a Technical College at Igede Ekiti community where there will be opportunity to train the indigenes of the State in carpentry, electrical work and other handy work to inject fresh blood to replace those already aged in the work.
High Chief Adebayo Fadairo, the Olota of Igede Ekiti Kingdom, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police while adding, called on Governor Oyebanji to tap into the tourism potentials in Igede Ekiti Kingdom with a view to generate more Internally Generated Revenues, IGR, for the state and the Igede Ekiti Community.
Chief Fadairo listed the major tourism potentials in Igede Ekiti Kingdom to include the Elemi River which source is from Osun River in Osogbo, Ogese as well as some mountains that are good and have hot waters coming from them.
Meanwhile, a brief history of the current Onigede of Igede Ekiti Kingdom, Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru shows he is a descendant of the Okiribiti Adeyibaka dynasty. He succeeded Oba Olubusi Apata from Onaowuro family who reigned between 1950 to 1957.
Records revealed that Oba Olubusi Apata’s ascension to the throne of his progenitors on the 26th of June 1959 has helped Igede Ekiti Kingdom to greatly developed and the development under the current monitoring gaze of his Royal Majesty, Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru has continued.
Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru is a well educated Kabiyesi, and had served in several official capacities in Ekiti as the President of the Customary Court in Igede-Ekiti from 1960 to 1976. He served as a member, General Purpose Committee and at the same range served the Ado District Council in the year 1960 to 1962 as a member, Board of Governors EBHS in Igede for 9years. He also served in Ado Grammar School in Ado Ekiti as a member of the Boards of Governors.
Oba Aladesuru in his own time has no doubt initiated a lot of developments and lofty achievements to the various segments of the Igede community, including but not limited to development in Education sectors, Political sectors, Healthcare sector, Socio-cultural and socio political life, Environmental services, commercial lives and infrastructure developments among others.