The Ikere Anthem is a common official song to be rendered at public functions in the town, while the Ikere Hall of Fame was a project bankrolled by a friend of the Ogoga, Oba Adu and businessman, Chief Dimeji Isiaka, who holds the title of Bobagunwa of Ikere. Interestingly, compact disk copies of the anthem were also launched and same were distributed to the public.
The Ooni had led a team of traditional rulers in Ifeland during the visit. In the course, if the Ooni’s stay in Ikere, the revered monarch also paid a visit to a foremost legal luminary, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) as a path towards enhancing the integration of the Yoruba of all walks of life.
The significance of the hall of fame, according to Ikere people, is a place “to showcase the exploits of indigenes and non-indigenes who have contributed to the development of the Ikere town.
Ooni Ogunwusi and Ogoga Adu, while speaking on the museum, explained that it was a place where the people of the town would preserve the historical heritage of the town and thus make for easy accessibility, learning and research.
Ooni Ogunwusi expressed satisfaction with development witnessed in the community since Oba Adejimi Adu ascended the throne of his fathers in 2015, saying “his ascension to the Ogoga stool is divine and never a mistake.” The Arole Oodua urged the people of Ikere to support the Ogoga for the overall further development of the town.
According to him, “Oba Alagbado has made history by building a new palace and mobilised philanthropists to construct an administrative building and a Hall of Fame, under two years of his monarchy.”
Oba Ogunwusi said: “When you have a good leader, there will be peace, there will be progress; there will be development and God has given you a new king in Ikere who is humble, progressive and handsome.
“God has blessed Ikere with illustrious sons and daughters and God has blessed Ogoga with a brain. His choice as a king was not a mistake. You have not seen anything yet in terms of development.
“I want to urge you to support your Kabiyesi because I am impressed with what he is doing. This magnificent Hall of Fame was not in Ikere before and the Ikere Anthem was not in existence before and all these have become history.
“God himself has chosen a king for you and I want to urge you to support him, his chiefs and your leaders to take this town to greater heights. Allow peace to reign for this town to develop.”
The Ooni said Ikere sons and daughters were making progress in many fields of human endeavour and urged them to “come home and join their king to take the development of the community to a higher pedestal.”
One of the prominent Ikere sons is the Asiwaju of Ikere, Chief Olanipekun (SAN), who while speaking earlier, said the Ogoga had ordered that the Ikere Anthem be sung in all primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the town, described Oba Alagbado as “the anointed of God and a prophet of God who should not be plotted against.”
He said: “We thank you, our father, the Ooni; you have come to celebrate Ikere here today, may your reign be long and you will lead all of us in Yoruba land for a long time.
“When I was young about 60 years ago, my mother used to take me along to this palace here and I never remember an Ooni coming to Ikere to honour us as you have done today.
“I am happy my elder brother, Dr Kunle Olajide, Secretary general of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) is here. We are one Yoruba land because we came from the same source, Ile-Ife.
“The commissioning of this Hall of Fame is a great milestone in the history of Ikere and wonderful things are happening since this Ogoga mounted the throne.
“Our Kabiyesi single-handedly built a new ultramodern palace which has become a cynosure of all eyes and he motivated his friends to build an administrative block and now the Hall of Fame in this palace.
“I want to urge all Ikere sons and daughters to support our king. No more rancour, no more disunity and no more acrimony.”
At the home of the Asiwaju of Ikere-Ekiti, Chief Wole Olanioekun(SAN), the foremost lawyer described Ooni Ogunwusi as a source of unity and a king who prepared himself for the throne.
Olanipekun said: “He ascended the throne, he has been doing so much for the unity of the Yoruba race. He has gone to visit the Alaafin. Recently, he was at the coronation of the Akarigbo of Remo. He has gone to Efon Alaaye, Ijero-Ekiti and other towns in Yorubaland. He has been going around the world to promote peace and unity amongst our people. Sometimes, I wonder where he draws the energy from.”
Other traditional rulers who witnessed the event include the Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Obas and the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju; the Attah of Ayede, Oba Adebayo Orisagbemi; the Alara of Aramoko, Oba Adegoke Adeyemi and the Obalufon Alayemore of Efon Kingdom, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare.
The highlight of the event was the homage to the monarchs, cultural dances, fanfare and merry-making.
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