Ooni of Ife, Bamidele, Oyebanji, Others Set To Grace N500m Ekiti Traditional Chiefs Building Project Launching

By Joseph Sunday 

All is now set as the Ooni of Ife and the Arole Oodua, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja II; the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji among several others are all set to grace the official launching ceremony of the sum of N500m for the building project for the Association of Traditional Chieftancy Title Holders, Ekiti State Chapter, scheduled to hold on Saturday, the 19th of April, 2025 at their permanent site located along Ado – Ikere Ekiti road. 

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The lists of others also being expected at the first ever event in the State includes the other two Senators from the Ekiti South and Ekiti North Senatorial Districts of Ekiti State, Senator Yemi Adaramodu and Senator Cyril Fajuyi, aside that Ekiti State House of Assembly Members and the local government Chairmen in the State. 

According to the leader of the Association of Traditional Chieftaincy Title Holders in Ekiti State, who doubled as High Chief Oluwole Ogunsakin, the Asolo of Ikole Ekiti, he has appealed to the State Governor, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to fulfil the promise of providing a befitting accommodation made to the Association during his electioneering campaigns in 2022.

The Chairman, High Chief Ogunsakin while addressing newsmen on Wednesday at the State Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ado-Ekiti,  said the Association which has been in existence for almost three decades has been occupying a rented space without having a befitting Secretariat.

High Chief Asolo explained that the Association is the coming together of the original Chiefs that are working with the Traditional Rulers in various communities of the State, compromising male and female for the progress, unity, maintenance of cultures and traditions in the communities for the advancement of the State. 

Adding that the Traditional Chiefs have been on ground right from the time immemorial but maintained that there’s need for them to let the whole world aware of the launching of the Five Hundred Million Naira (N500,000.00), and foundation laying ceremony of the Secretariat named; “Ule Ijoye Ekiti”, holding along Ado/Ikere Ekiti Expressway on Saturday, 19th April,  2025 at 10:00a.m prompt. 

High Chief Oluwole Ogunsakin said the State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji will be in attendance. He said they had earlier visited His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife to solicit his blessing and support. 

Just as he stated that the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe who happens to be the Grandpatron of the Association in Ekiti, and the Chairman, Council of Obas in the State, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti have given nod to the project. 

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On his part, the Chairman of the  Planning Committee, High Chief Gbenga Agbona, the Elemo of Oke-Emo in Ilawe-Ekiti noted that the role of Traditional Chiefs in each community is to complement the efforts of the traditional rulers, saying that if they have their own Secretariat in place, that it would equally serve among other purposes, as an  event centre where revenue can be generated to assist the members in need when it is fully operational.

According to him, there’s no community that has less than one hundred Chiefs. “We believe when we come together with our numerical strength apart from social networking, we would have roles to play in complementing whatever our Monarchs are doing. 

“In terms of security, we can exchange ideas on how a particular community is being run. if the chiefs can come together, it will go a long way to help the State as being done in other States.  We want to have our own edifice”, said the High Chief. 

The occasion which Chief Agbona said would be chaired by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, would equally have Senators Yemi Adaramodu and Cyril Fasuyi as Chief Launchers , and that all members of the House of Representatives in the State would be the Co-Launchers. 

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“They are our sons. We believe they can seize the opportunity to assist us in building the edifice. We are not in contention with anybody. We believe we should come together and see what we can do to help ourselves, to help the State, and to help our Kabiyesi”, Agbona maintained. 

Also, the Public Relations Officer of the Association, High Chief Ayodeji Esan, the Odofinyi of Iyin-Ekiti opined that it’s high time to let the whole world know of their existence and the steps being taken towards having a place that would unite all the traditional chiefs in Ekiti both male and female.  He said the Association has enabled them to know themselves from different communities in Ekiti State. 

“As Nigerians, it’s our right to associate and that’s exactly what we are doing”. Said the PRO.

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The Secretary of the Planning Committee, High Chief Jide Aworinde, the Odofin of Erijinyan Ekiti added that the association is apolitical but in support of any government that has done well in promoting the virtues of the State and alleviate the sufferings of the people. 

“We have seen much in the government and the progress achieved so far in the State through the current administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji. 

“We want to use this opportunity as well to register our support and that we are in full support of his government. We want him to do more than what his predecessors have done for the Association.” Said the Secretary. 

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The members, however enjoined the well-wishers and every well to do individual members of the society to join hands with them in making the dream come true.

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