Alawe Honours Retired General Adetayo, Wife With Jagungbayi, Yeye Jagungbayi Of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom 

… Credits Recent Achievements In Ilawe Ekiti Community To His Subjects In Sensitive Positions Across Nigeria 

By Emmanuel Adeoye

Advertisement

The Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi has honoured  retired Major General Odunayo Adeyemi Adetayo with the Chieftaincy title of Jagungbayi of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom along with his wife, Deaconess Mrs. Latoya Esther Adetayo as the Yeye Jagungbayi of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom.

The monarch who attributed the rapid Development of the town to the efforts of his subjects who held and currently holding sensitive positions across the Country. 

Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi, the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti made this known at the official installation of Major General Odunayo Adeyemi Adetayo and wife, Deaconess Mrs. Latoya Esther Adetayo with Chieftaincy titles in his palace on Saturday at Ilawe Ekiti, said, “the retired Major General whose lasting posting before retirement was at Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre, Abuja has done very well having served the Country as a top Military officer successfully”.

Alawe also commended Major General Adetayo retired for doing very well. He used the opportunity to recall how he was part of those sent to Liberia for Peace Keeping Operations many years ago. He went on to appreciate him for helping him and his Ilawe Kingdom by building office complex in his palace within the space of three months when he was appointed as the Chairman of the Council of the Traditional Rulers in Ekiti State few years ago. 

Alawe further recounted how Major General Adetayo, retired, joined the military and rose to the rank of a Major General and now retired peacefully, after serving the Country for several years diligently and professionally. “It is no mean achievement to reach the rank of a Major General in this Country”, Oba Alabi declared. 

Advertisement

Alawe pointed out that Major General Adetayo retired had served Nigeria in so many war fronts. He noted that General Adetayo made the people of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom proud by shining and becoming examplary Son of the Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom. 

“He has supported our youths in terms of empowerment and development. He has being a great pillar of support for the people of the community. Like this office complex, for the monarch, it was built by him when we needed to have an event centre in Ilawe Ekiti, he enlisted the support of his younger sister who is in the USA who has the wherewithal to do it. And the lady did it and put up very magnificent event centre here in Ilawe Ekiti”.

Alawe revealed that, “General Adetayo retired has been the right hand man of Ilawe Ekiti people with his unusual support. He has been an highly respectful, responsible and dependable Son of the Ilawe Kingdom. We are so delighted that he has finished his work as a military officer and he has returned home safe and sound”.

Kabiyesi Alawe ascribed the positive results and development coming to his Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom to God first, and to the concerted and tremendous supports of the Sons and Daughters of his Kingdom who are in high places.

Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi used the opportunity to pledge his support for the call that Traditional Rulers in the Country should be given constitutional roles in the management and administration of the affairs of the Nation at large. 

He reminded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the current leadership of the National Assembly of the need to act on the discussion previously held with the National Assembly when the representatives of the Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria visited the National Assembly to advocate a constitutional role for the traditional institution in the Country.

“We hope that in no distance time, something will be done to make traditional rulers in the Country to be involved in governance and administration of the country. The Traditional Rulers no doubt are the closest to the people at the grassroots. Hardly will anything go on or happen in our communities without our knowledge as traditional rulers”.

“When you have an aggregate of the Traditional Rulers coming to the table, and discussing the National Security issues, you will be rest assured that the Country will be better for it. It is a well deserved requirement for traditional rulers to be well engaged in the act of governance”.

On the approval of N2 billion for the construction of Ilawe to Iyin Ekiti road by the National Assembly, Alawe stated that the timeless news was well received by him. 

Advertisement

He commended both the current Senate Majority Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and the Senate Spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu who hails from Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom for their efforts in ensuring the road received approval from the 10th National Assembly after several years of it’s abandonment. 

Meanwhile, speaking after his conferment, the new Jagungbayi of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom, Major General Odunayo Adeyemi Adetayo retired who was flanked by his wife, Yeye Jagungbayi of Ilawe Ekiti, said, “It is now time for me to be back to Ilawe Ekiti. I have been coming and going back before but, now, there is no where for me to go again”, he assured.

General Adetayo retired while fielding questions from the press after his conferment with the Chieftaincy title of the Jagungbayi of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom, “thanked God for helping him to successfully served his Country and his Ilawe Ekiti people for a period of good 38 years and two months before he was retired from an active service in the Nigerian Military”. 

Advertisement

He thanked the Kabiyesi Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi for the Chieftaincy title he conferred on him and his wife. 

General Adetayo retired promised his Ilawe Ekiti community people to continue to do his best to support the growth and development of his people and his community. 

He described his sojourn of 38 years and two months in the Military as a combined forces of destiny and adventure. He explained that his presence in the military should be seen as one that God has destined for him.  

Advertisement

He added that his presence in the military was an adventure because he never expected himself to stay long when he first joined many years back. “I never expected myself to stay for a whole service period. I was meant to stay for a short time but I ended up working in the military till my retirement stage. I was also able to passed through all the ranks by His Grace at the first attempt”. 

“Throughout my stay in the military, I enjoyed a timely promotion as at when due. Even though my journey was rough, I gave the glory to God Almighty because the Military made me what I am today despite all I have being through”, he said. 

Earlier before the conferment of the Chieftaincy title on him and his wife, special prayer sessions were done in both Christian and traditional way by the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ekiti South West local government area as well as one of the High Chiefs of Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom who is the custodian of the culture of the Ilawe Ekiti people. 

Advertisement

Present at the home coming and conferment of Chieftaincy title event at the palace of Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti Kingdom were the Deputy Inspector General Of Police, Mr. Abiodun Alabi;

Olori Of Alawe Ekiti Kingdom Mrs. Abimbola Ajibade Alabi; Mr. Segun Adebari; Chief Segun Awoniyi; Mr. Tunji Ayeni; Barrister Niyi Ogunbode; Professor Mrs. Sola Odeyemi; Mrs. Funso Ogunleye; Bobagunwa Of Iwo Land; Major Sunday Akinyemi; Mr. Tolu Osunawo and Mrs. Sesan Adebari.

Others are the Kabiyesi Attah of Ayede Ekiti Kingdom, Oba Adebayo Abdulmumin Orisagbemi and the Kabiyesi, the Onisinbode of Isinbode Ekiti Kingdom, Oba Alayeluwa, His Royal Majesty Adesoji Adeyemi among others. 

Advertisement