Afe Beneficiaries Hail Ewi For Conferring On Benefactor Highest Honour In Ado Ekiti 

.. Sets To Honour Oyebanji, Adebayo, Alabi With Leadership Awards 12th December 

By Philip Tayo 

Advertisement

The Afe Babalola Beneficiaries Worldwide, ABBW, has hailed the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III, CON for considering it worthy to coffer on their benefactor the highest honour in Ado Ekiti Kingdom, thereby expressing their readiness to honour the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, the former Governor of the State, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo and Basorun Tope Alabi with leadership awards on the 12th of December, 2024. 

Chief Ogunniyi Morakinyo, The Initiator/Coordinator Of Afe Babalola’s Beneficiaries Worldwide

According to Chief Ogunniyi Morakinyo, the Initiator and Coordinator of ABBW, he said, “Afe Babalola Day primarily started 10 years ago, precisely in 2013 till 2023 under the control and supervision of Kabiyesi Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba (Dr) Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, Aladesanmi III, (CON, JP,) with the support of some Ekiti Obas and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, which gave birth to Afe Babalola Hall of Fame in Okemesi, Ekiti State, the first of its kind in Southwest, Nigeria”.

Mr Ogunniyi, the Publisher Of Kayegbo Magazine expressed his excitement to Treasure Newspaper over the decision of Ado Ekiti sons and daughters across the globe to celebrate Aare Afe Babalola on the 18th of October, his birthday date. 

Advertisement

Ogunniyi however said, the new date for the Aare Afe Babalola Day previously fixed for October 18th has now been shifted to December 12th every year and the focus will now be tagged “Afe Babalola End Of Year Party / Award Day”, which is now to hold in both Okemesi and Ado Ekiti, in continuation of honour to the Afiwajoye of Ado Ekiti Kingdom, in person of Aare Afe Babalola for a lifetime for his contributions to humanity. 

Adding, the Coordinator of Aare Afe Babalola Beneficiaries, Chief Ogunniyi Morakinyo, the publisher of Kayegbo International and the Amuludun of Okemesi Ekiti, made the announcement at Ewi’s palace during the maiden edition of Afe Babalola Day in Ado Ekiti on Friday (yesterday). 

Ogunniyi further said, “Afe Babalola Beneficiaries Worldwide which bankrolled Afe Babalola Hall of Fame in Okemesi Ekiti will continue to make Baba Afe Babalola happy. He revealed that they have made the decision to build Afe Babalola Park in Ado Ekiti as their contribution to 2025 Afe Babalola Day.

Advertisement

“We have collated the names of Baba Afe’s admirers which include Governor Oyebanji, former Ekiti State governor, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Basorun Tope Alabi, Asiwaju Wole Olanipekun, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, Ambassador Eniola Ajayi and others for 2024 AFE BABALOLA LEADERSHIP AWARDS.

We will also induct the contributors to the maiden edition of Afe Babalola Day in Ado Ekiti into the hall of fame in Okemesi for posterity.

Chief Ogunniyi pointing out further, said, “owing to the ABBW”s constitution which permits two years tenure for the Executives, as well as the powers conferred on him by the Life Patron, in person of Aare Afe Babalola, he announced the appointment of a new President for the ABBW, Basorun Tope Alabi while Dr Femi Alabi from Osi Ekiti will remain the Vice President

Advertisement

Also, “the Akorewolu of Ado Ekiti, Aare Patrick Oluwole Orungbe will now be the Baba Egbe, while Femi Alufa from Ijero Ekiti will retain his position as the Spokesman”.

He also announced that the position of all the Admins remains valid till October 16th, 2026 as the new appointment takes effect immediately. 

He also added that the investiture of the new appointee will hold on December 12 at Afe Babalola Hall of Fame in Okemesi Ekiti. 

Advertisement

The end of year party will hold same day at Ilotin compound Afe Babalola’s family house in Ado Ekiti.

He used the opportunity to appreciate past kind gestures from Erelu Bisi Fayemi and Erelu Josephine Kemi Elebute – Halle for their contributions to the hall of fame project during their tenures. 

He assured them that there special gifts and certificates will be given to them on December 12, 2024 by the new Executives while all those that bankrolled projects at Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden will also receive Afe Babalola Gold Medals.

Advertisement