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Day Ido community celebrated Agedi festival, installed chiefs

It was a spectacular moment for the sons and daughters of Ido- Okeagbe in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State at home and in the Diaspora as they returned home this month for the Agedi Festival, celebrated every year. The Agedi festival is a cultural and traditional carnival widely celebrated among the people of Ido-Okeagbe, and it also serves as a time for the members of the community to fraternise with themselves and their monarch.

The annual festival brings together the traditional ruler, Kabiyesi Oludo of Ido and his chiefs, as well as the Egbegun (the town’s ancient warriors), young girls wearing beads round their bottoms and the elders (men and women). According to the monarch, His Royal Majesty, the Oludo of Ido-Okeagbe, Oba Adedeji Awojulu, Orekunpekun II, the tradition to celebrate and a time for unity for the people, as no rituals are performed, but to give thanks to God and render Agedi songs.

To celebrate this year’s festival, the monarch conferred traditional and honorary chieftaincy titles on several people including prominent sons and daughters of the quarter as well as others in recognition of their contributions to the development of the quarters and humanity. As one of the high points of festival was the installation of traditional chieftaincy titles on the Akala-elect, Chief Kayode Satide Ojoboorun as Akala of Ayela as presented to the Kabiyesi by the Ayela Elders and Eleegbes of Ayela; while Mr. Olugbenga Sule (Millionaire), a Lagosbased businessman and prominent son of the quarter, whom the Oba said had been close to him for over 20 years, was installed as the Otunba Asoludero of Idoland, Okeagbe and his wife, Mrs. Titilope Sule as Yeye Otunba Asoludero. Chief Sule attended Okeagbe High School for his secondary school education and Ondo State University Ado-Ekiti (now Ekiti State University), where he obtained a B.A in History and International Studies. He has also attended several trainings and seminars on leadership, business development, project management and entrepreneurship. A member of Akoko Builders Club and Okeagbe Development Forum, among others, Chief Sule has played significant roles in the socio-economic and political development of Ido and Okeagbe in general.

This year’s Agedi festival, which is usually celebrated with conviviality, coincided with the dedication of the new Oludo’s Palace, as well as featured other activities, including cultural dancing and performances by the various age grades with a lot of food and drink to celebrate the festival.

These include installation of chief and prayer session; unveiling of Ido Cultural Troupe; presentation of CAC registration certificate to the troupe; Bible quiz and games (table tennis and Ayo), presentation of prizes to winners; performance by the Ido Cultural Troupe; and presentation of Golden Award to deserving members of the troupe by the monarch. Presenting the registration certificate to the troupe, Oba Awojulu said: “Over the years, our young women have proved very reliable in the area of entertainment and so I have registered them as the Ido Cultural Troupe at the CAC in Abuja.

You will see some of them today with their Certificate of Incorporation. “I have also decided with my chiefs and elders to make the Iyaegbes of three main young women groups of Egbe Omolere, Egbe Irenitemi and Egbe Eminirekan as chiefs. The monarch, therefore, called on the newly installed chiefs to join hands with him to build a stronger, more united and more prosperous Ido community and consequently a much stronger Okeagbe, Akokoland and Ondo State in general. Relishing the building and commissioning the new Oba’s Palace since its conception in the early 19th Century, the Oludoof Ido, however, recounted the series of encroachments on the land by various individuals and groups and families. But, he thanked God that all the crises were resolved amicably and today the dream of building a befitting, magnificent and modern palace had been finally realised through the commitment, doggedness and resilience of the people of the community.

“It has indeed been a painstaking, strenuous and demanding task to actualise the build of this palace,” the monarch said. According to the Ido Palace Building Committee, the foundation laying ceremony was performed on Saturday, September 26, 2008 by Oba Awojulu with the elders and chiefs at the site.

Oba Awojulu said: “On behalf of the entire people of Ido-Okeagbe, I give God all the glory for making today a reality. I also thank and commend the memories of the last two Oludos who upon arrival at Okeagbe in 1924 with the town elders and chiefs, after communed with God Almighty, chose this site many years ago for their palace. “I appreciate them not only for their foresight, but also for their consistent prayers in the past which have now been answered by the God Almighty.” The monarch also praised other individuals, the community members for their financial and material support and contribution towards the realisation of the palace building project.

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