The annual celebration is aimed at promoting Ilobu’s cultural heritage, strengthening communal relationships and advancing the development of the community.
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The IDU National Public Relations Officer, Alabi Kazeem Adeniyi, disclosed this in a press statement announcing preparations for the event.
The statement described Ilobu Day as “a significant occasion” that goes beyond festivities, noting that it represents the community’s shared identity, collective aspirations and commitment to building a stronger and more prosperous Ilobu.
According to the statement, the celebration will begin on Saturday, November 7, with a Walk-to-Live exercise across major roads in Ilobu at 7:00 a.m.
Other activities scheduled for the opening day include a press conference at Ilobu House Complex by noon and a courtesy visit to the Palace of the Olobu of Ilobu at 4:00 p.m.
The programme will continue on Monday, November 9, with community visitations and stakeholders’ meetings, while a health programme will hold at Ilobu House Complex on Tuesday, November 10.
Wednesday, November 11, will feature the INSU Education Programme at Ilobu House Complex by 10:00 a.m., alongside the final of the Ilobu Day Football Competition at St. Paul’s Playground by 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 12, has been designated as Cultural Day, with traditional displays and performances scheduled to hold at the Palace of the Olobu of Ilobu.
Activities on Friday, November 13, will include a Jumat service at Ilobu Central Mosque, the commissioning of the IDU Shopping Mall and a special forum, tagged Eko Night, at Ilobu House Complex.
The grand finale of the celebration will hold on Saturday, November 14, at St. Paul’s Playground by 10:00 a.m., bringing together traditional rulers, community leaders, indigenes and other stakeholders.
The celebration will end on Sunday, November 15, with a thanksgiving service at St. Michael Anglican Church, Ilobu, followed by a visit to the Olobu’s palace and a post-event evaluation meeting.
The union called on Ilobu indigenes at home and in the diaspora, residents, corporate organisations and well-wishers to participate in the celebration.
It urged indigenes to see the event as more than an annual gathering, describing it as “an opportunity to reconnect with our roots, strengthen our bonds, celebrate our collective identity and contribute meaningfully to the development of our community.”
The IDU also appealed for financial, material and institutional support from individuals, corporate bodies and other well-meaning stakeholders to ensure the successful hosting of the event.
The statement added that further details about the celebration would be provided at a press conference scheduled for November 7 at Ilobu House Complex, to be addressed by the IDU National President.