Oba Adejugbe, who addressed newsmen on the 2017 Udiroko Festival, which marks the new year of the Ado Ekiti people, also said that the governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim
Dankwambo; chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Rural Development, Oladimeji Adebutu and their wives are to be honoured with chieftaincy titles during this year’s Udiroko Festival in Ado-Ekiti.
Oba Adejugbe also said the people of the community should embrace the directive that they should desist from selling their ancestral homes and land to non-natives, saying this was to ensure that they have a home to return to whenever they returned home.
Oba Adejugbe said trio will receive their chieftaincy titles on Friday, August 25 for their contribution to the development of the city, their states and the nation at large.
He explained that the Ado-Ekiti community decided to honour Fayose with the title which will be revealed on the day of conferment for executing various landmark projects in the city including the ongoing flyover and the new Erekesan Market.
The Ewi also praised Fayose for dualising township roads in Ado-Ekiti and eight other local government areas in the state despite the prevailing economic recession in the country.
“The people of Ado-Ekiti kingdom resolved that we should honour the governor (Fayose) but the governor requested that we honour two of his friends, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo and House of Representatives member from Ogun State, Hon Ladi Adebutu and they will be conferred with their titles on August 25 here at the palace.
“Governor Fayose is doing wonderfully well for Ekiti people despite the fact that Nigeria is going through recession. He is executing capital projects in Ado-Ekiti; the flyover is under construction, the Oja Oba is now at appreciable stage and we will commission the new Palace Hall on the 25th,” Oba Adejugbe said.
The traditional ruler revealed that the new ultramodern hall in the palace constructed by the Fayose administration will be inaugurated also on Friday
The Ewi added that renowned culture icon, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, will deliver a public lecture while a book written by notable historian, Prof Isola Olomola, will be launched with eminent lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun as the chief launcher.
The Udiroko, he added, will also witness Health Talk and Ewi Cup Football Competition.
Oba Adejugbe stressed that Udiroko offers opportunity for Ado-Ekiti indigenes to pay homage to their monarch, to thank God for witnessing another year, to decide on communal projects to be executed for the New Year.
The royal father called on the people of the town, especially the youth, to embrace agriculture to ensure food security and reduce poverty and unemployment saying: “white-collar jobs are no longer available.”
He said: “We have to go back to the farm because when oil was discovered, that was when our problem started in Nigeria. In the old Western Region, the proceeds from cocoa was used to build the Cocoa House.
“We have farm settlements in the olden days but I want to appeal to the youths to embrace agriculture. It will be in their interest to go back to the farm and they will not regret doing so.”
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