The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, are set to grace the 2016 edition of the annual Imeside Diaspora Festival in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.
The Co-ordinator of Imeside Diaspora Initiative (IDI), Kola Bamigbade, said the event, which holds at the Olisa Palace Square, in Ijebu Ode, would kick off on August 19 with a lecture entitled ‘Imeside: 2nd Cradle of Yoruba Kingdoms,’ to be delivered by High Chief N. Ade Ajayi, at 2:00p.m.
It will be followed by a cultural parade at 4:00p.m. The first day’s activities end with a praise and prayer vigil starting from 10:00 p.m.
According to Bamigbade, the grand finale of the event holds on Saturday, August 20, 2016, featuring the installations of Oba Ogunwusi as the Great Grand National Patron of Imeside Diaspora (GGNPID) and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, as Grand National Patron of Imeside Diaspora (GNPID).
Highlights of the event, the coordinator said, included the celebration of 25 years of Imesis’ unity, conferment of awards and book lunch
He also stated that Governors Ibikunle Amosu, Rauf Aregbesola and Ayo Fayose of Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states, respectively would co-host the event, while Oba Adetona would serve as the royal father of the day.
Other hosts of the festival include Oba Rasheed Adesanya (GPID), the Olisa of Ijebu Ode; Oba Adeyeye Oladimeji (GPID), the Onimesi, Imesi-Ekiti; Oba Michael Adedeji Gbadebo (GPID), Owa Ooye, Okemesi-Ekiti; Oba Adesola Gbadebo Oni (GPID), the Olu-Imasayi; Oba Enoch A. Akinyemi (GPID), the Owa Ooye, Imesi-Ile and Oba Gabriel Akinyemi Abiodun (GPID), the Owa Okun-Owa, Imesi-Isale.
Imeside Diaspora Festival is an annual event of the six Imesis of Okemesi-Ekiti, Imesi-Ile, Imesi-Ekiti, Imesi-Isale, Ijebu Ode and Imasayi during which all sons and daughters of Ekiti come together to celebrate their common ancestry, reunite and felicitate with one another.