Ila-Orangun in Osun State was thrown in wild excitement on Saturday as sons and daughters of Igbomina land gathered to celebrate and raised fund to build Igbomina House, which is to be located at Ila, being the headquarters of Igbomina land.
Led other array of eminent traditional rulers both from Osun, Ekiti and Kwara states, the Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Adedotun, Bibire l, was so elated to see the Igbominas coming together to chart a new course.
Oba Adedotun stressed the important place of Igbomina in Yoruba nation, pointing out that history well captured its link to yoruba lineage, which can’t be wished away by anyone.
“Igbomina has a lofty historical background from Ile-Ife which can never be wished away and we are gradually bringing everybody together under one umbrella, which is Asepo Omo Igbomina,” Oba Adedotun noted.
Igbomina clan cut across Osun, Kwara and Ekiti. In Osun, they are from two local governments, namely Ila and Ifedayo, while in Kwara, they occupies Irepodun, Ifelodun and Isin local govts. Also, some Igbominas are in Otun Ekiti and Osi in Ekiti state.
Many were awarded for standing out in their chosen careers and also for the roles they played in the development and upliftment of Igbomina land.
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Former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun was installed as Oluomo of Igbomina land. The installation was done at the instance of other royal fathers.
Mr Tafa Balogun was represented by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Goke Fayoade, who acknowledged the title bestowed on the ex-police boss as deserving considering his contributions to Igbomina land.
“I believe, our royal fathers must have taken into cognisance his roles in both human and community development, which must have informed their decision to unanimously installed him as the Oluomo of Igbomina land,” Mr Fayoade said.
“However, with this appointment, it’s a challenge for him to do more, which I believe he (Tafa) will not hesitate to do,” he added.
It would be recalled that the former police boss had since 2011 made a clarion call for Asepo Omo Igbomina when he was made the chairman, Igbomina day at Esie, a town in Kwara State.
As a son of the soil, DCP Fayoade also used the occasion to call on sons and daughters of Igbomina all over the world to come together to develop Igbomina land, noting that “Today’s program is significant because it is bringing Igbomina sons and daughters together, both in Osun and Kwara”
“Also, it’s an indication that Igbomina people are poised to come together to take the social-cultural in their hands and forge ahead as an ethnic group.”
One of the awardees, Joseph Abayomi Olagunju, a professor of medical biochemistry at the Lagos State University, said he had received so many awards as an academia, however, the award bestowed on him by Igbomina was so different and special.
“Today’s award was so significant for me more than any other awards because this is Igbomina award which to me, is priceless. I sincerely appreciate our royal fathers for counting me worthy,” the don who hails from Oke-Ila said.
Also, Hon. Olufemi Fakeye, Member House of Representatives, representing Ila federal constituency at the National Assembly opened the floor of donation with the sum N3million, while Ajagunla Olubiyi Fadeyi also donated N2.5million and a 300KVA Transformer to support Igbomina house building project.
At the event are; The Olupo of Ajase ipo, Oba, Sikiru Atanda Oladotun, Oba Ahmed Babalola Awumi, the Elese of igbaja, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Adedokun Omoniyi, Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Solomon Olugbenga Oloyede, Olusin of Isanlu-isin, Oba Samuel Oladoye Idowu, Akesin of Ora-Igbomina, Oba Tinuoye Joshua Atolagbe, the Asaoni of Ora-Igbomina, Oba Adeniyi Olaniran, Edigbon of Edemosi.
