No fewer than 30 indigent secondary school students across the three Akure-speaking Local Government Areas of Ondo State, will be awarded scholarships by the leadership of the town, as part of activities to celebrate the annual Ulefunta celebration.
The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee of Ulefunta 2022, Olu Adekunle Ajanaku, who disclosed this during a press conference to herald the Ulefunta celebration said the festival will kick off after the return of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, from seven-day seclusion.
Ajanaku said the scholarship primarily targeted indigent students of Akure-speaking local government areas of the state, as part of efforts aimed at improving communities and contributing toward education advancement in the Akure Kingdom
He said the indigent students will be picked from Akure South, Akure North and Ifedore local government areas of the state.
Speaking on the importance of the Ulefunta Festival, the Chairman said it was designed to promote unity, cultural heritage and tradition of the Akure people, saying “apart from this, the festival is to showcase the rich culture of Akure people.”
Ajanaku said frantic efforts were being made to harness the potential of the Ulefunta festival to the culture and tourism subsector, with a view to shore up the revenue generation base of the state, saying the festival has become a unifying platform for all Akure people both home and abroad as well as Akure Residents.
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He said “It is important to stress that the festival is not in any way idolatry, as it is a period of traditional prayers to our God Almighty (Olodumare) for bountiful harvests, ushering in of a new planting season and our traditional New Year.
“As the highest traditional festival, it is usually preceded with similar traditional prayers at various Quarters, Communities and within some traditional families in the Akure Kingdom at the beginning of the traditional calendar in March of every year.”
He disclosed that a renowned Security Expert and a retired Director of Directorates of Security Services (DSS) Sir Mike Ejiofor would deliver this year’s Ulefunta Public Lecture with the theme: Curbing Electoral Violence and Associated Crimes: Roles of Traditional Institution in Perspective.
He said a former Military Governor of old Ondo state, Maj. Gen Ekundayo Opaleye (Rtd), would chair the lecture scheduled for October 6, 2022, at FUTA Auditorium.
He said: “With the emergence of the new Electoral Act as Amended, we believe that violence merchants and adversarial elements would always explore avenues to undermine our electoral process.
“The interaction at the lecture is therefore designed to explore the relevance or contributions of our cherish Traditional Institutions in curbing not only electoral violence but associated vices like streets cultism, drugs/ substance abuse, politically motivated assassination.”
Speaking on other activities, he said: “There is also going to be Novelty football matches, featuring teams of the Olus in Akure South and North Vs Akure Council of Chiefs, Akure Indigenes Vs Non-Indigenes and Aquinas College Vs Oyemekun Grammar School on 30 Sept 2022 at the Akure Sports Stadium from 2:00 pm prompt.
“Climax of the festival is the Homage and Parade Event at the MKO Abiola Democracy Park, which will be preceded by the conferment of Chieftaincy titles on Eminent Nigerians on Saturday, October 8, 2022.
“The festival will be rounded up on 9th October 2022 with a Thanksgiving Service at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral in Akure while there will also be a raffle draw later that at Ideal Tribes Lounge, Akure.”
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