Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi and other traditional rulers are expected to attend the coronation and presentation of staff of office to the Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ekiti, in Ikole Local Government Area of the state, Oba Moses Akinwande Ogundana.
The chairman of the coronation planning committee, Professor Gbenga Aribisala, who disclosed this at a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on Friday, said the coronation ceremony has been scheduled for July 14, 2023 at the Onikoyi’s palace.
He explained that aside from Governor Oyebanji who will present the staff of office to the traditional ruler and the Ooni of Ife, also the chairman of the state traditional rulers’ council and the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti, Oba Ayodele Adejuwon, had been invited with the Elekole of Ikole-Ekiti and paramount ruler of Egbe-Oba kingdom, Oba Adewunmi Fasiku.
Aribisala said the four-day ceremony will kickstart on Thursday with a general sanitation and prayers for the development of the community, to be followed by the coronation on Friday and the conferment of honorary chieftaincy titles and posthumous awards on deserving individuals on Saturday, while a book on the community will also be launched same day.
He said that some of those who had served the community are to be given posthumous awards, including the first chairman of Ikole Local Government Area, the late Chief Nathaniel Ogundana and the late Chief Bamidele Aribisala, among others.
He further stated that the ceremony will be concluded with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, at the St. James Anglican Church, Ikoyi-Ekiti.
“We are hoping to see a great transformation and development of the community. We expect the monarch, which we are sure he will do, to use his connections to draw development from government, individuals and private organisations.
“ We expect him also to unify the community, because you know where there are people showing interest in a stool, there will be disagreement and now that he is the king, we expect him to continue to embrace everyone and carry everybody along for the overall development of the community.
“Let me say here without mincing words that his choice, though he was not the only one who showed interest, it was so electric and unanimous that many people bought into it. The whole community is happy, both at home and in the diaspora. I know how people have been contributing money across the world towards the success of the ceremony.
“People of the community have come to the conclusion that this is the time for the community to make progress and that we have the right person on the throne to make it happen, that is the mood in the town,” Aribisala said.
He further enjoined all sons and daughters of Ikoyi-Ekiti to come en masse to celebrate their new monarch, saying that a new day of growth, progress and development had just dawned in the community.
The committee chairman added that popular real estate mogul, Ambassador Kazeem Eletu Odibo, will be the chairman of the event, which is expected to attract many dignitaries within and outside the state.
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