lkorodu on Saturday, March 26, 2022, as Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Ayangbure of lkorodu, led the residents in marking this year’s Odun Osu (Osu festival) in grand style.
The festival, which is the festival for the sons and daughters of the royal families (princes and princesses) in lkorodu, is the first traditional festival to be held in lkorodu every year and its celebration opens the floodgates of celebrations of other traditional festivals in the community.
To commence the celebration for the festival, the Ayangbure, in accordance with tradition, would announce the banning of drumming activities in the community for a certain period of time during which several rites would be carried out to appease the gods of the land for peace and prosperity of lkorodu town and at the end of the ban placed on drumming, residents would gather at the Ayangbure palace for a social event to round off the festival on a memorable note.
The festival is usually celebrated with pomp, pageantry and fun and this year’s edition was no different.
Like the previous editions, the Ayangbure palace, which usually plays host to the grand finale of the Osu festival, was jampacked with a crowd of residents, including members of various royal families lkorodu, who all dressed in the uniform Ankara fabric purposely picked for the event.
Also in attendance were government officials, eminent personalities, various groups and associations, traditionalists, traditional rulers and chiefs, Baales among others, who had all come to felicitate Oba Shotobi and the royal families on the occasion of this year’s Osu festival.
The high point of this year’s grand finale of the festival was the conferment of the honorary chieftains titles of Otunba Fuwagbuyi and Yeye Otunba Fuwagbuyi of lkorodu Kingdom, on Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, the former Clerk of the Lagos State House of Assembly and the immediate past Chairman of the lkorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) and his wife, Chief (Mrs) Olubunmi Oladunni Abiru, respectively.
The event took off around 2pm with prayer by Otunba Ayodele Elesho, the Agbaakin of lkorodu, after which royal families, associations and groups were invited one after the other to pay homage to the Ayangbure who was sitting on the pavilion along his wife, Olori Kudirat, Oba Sulaimon Raji, Oniba of Oba land, High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Odofin of lkorodu and others.
Among the groups and associations that paid homage to Oba Shotobi were Council of Ikorodu Baales, Council of Honorary Otunbas in lkorodu, Tobalase (female) group, members of Association of Traditional Religion Practitioners of Nigeria, Arewa (Hausa) community, Ndigbo community, representatives of the Lagos State Ministry of Art and Culture, Mrs. Anike Adekanye, Tutor General/Permanent Secretary, Education District ll and her team, Ikorodu Women and Men Association led by the lyaloja of lkorodu, Chief (Mrs) Taofeekat Allison, Oriwu Club, lkorodu, Exclusive Club, lkorodu, lkorodu Club, Odo-Nla family, Committee of Friends of Olori Kudirat Shotobi, Princes and Princesses of Lasunwon and Rademo Ruling Houses of lkorodu and others.
While addressing the gathering, Oba Shotobi congratulated the princes and princesses as well as the entire residents of lkorodu on the successful celebration of another edition of the Osu festival.
He explained that the festival is traditional celebrated for three months during which a ban would be placed on drumming but that because of civilisation, the ban on drumming has been reduced to just one weekend.
He, therefore, commended the management of the lkorodu Town Hall for ensuring that no social event takes place at the town hall during the time that a ban was placed on drumming.
He also commended the Chairman of the newly established Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL/GTE), High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, SAN, he Odofin of lkorodu, for the massive investment he has made in ensuring the success of the new joint security outfit in lkorodu division.
Oba Shotobi added that Odofin Ogunsanya has provided 15 acres of land and also promised to provide 1.2billion for the construction of a technical institution to be managed by experts from Germany.
He also announced that the former immediate past IKODASS Chairman, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru and wife would be honoured with Chieftaincy titles at the event.
The monarch said Otunba Abiru was deserving of the honour because of his immense contributions to the development of lkorodu community, particularly during his tenure as IKODASS Chairman.
On that note, the installation ceremony took off as the new chief and wife, Olubunmi, both of whom were gorgeously decked in blue damask traditional attires, were triumphantly ushered into the venue by by the Apepe traditional music group, accompanied by family members and wellwishers.
The new chiefs were later led by two palace aides to pay homage to Oba Shotobi before taking their seats adjacent the pavillion.
After the usual installation rites, the citations of Otunba Abiru and wife were read by their children, Abayomi and Olayinka respectively, after which Oba Shotobi capped them as Otunba Fuwagbuyi and Yeye Otunba Fuwagbuyi of lkorodu Kingdom and also decorated them with beads, while family members and guests cheered them up.
This was followed by the presentation of certificates of appointment to Otunba Abiru and wife by the duo of High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, the Odofin of lkorodu and Asiwaju Steve Anifowoshe, the Asiwaju of Ikorodu, respectively.
The Secretary of the Ikorodu Council of Honorary Chiefs, Otunba Fatai Olukoga, was then invited to receive the new Chiefs on behalf of the Chairman of the council, for initiation into the council.
Otunba Olukoga also read out some of the rules and regulations of the council to their newest members as well as their responsibilities as honorary chiefs.
Curtain was later drawn on the event with a photograph session between the new chiefs and Oba Shotobi, his Olori, guests, family members and others, while entertainment followed as different kinds of local and foreign delicacies and assorted drinks were freely served while the veteran female Juju musician on the bandstand and her band ensured there were no dull moments as they dished out various songs for the enjoyment of the gathering.
Others at the event were Mr. Fola Tinubu, Managing Director, Primero Ltd, Chief Monzor Olowosago, Publisher, Oriwu Sun, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Chief Kazeem Ogbara and wife, Otunba Akinola Awomodu, Aremo Adeniyi and Ayamo Modupeola Ogunsanya, High Chief Olabanji Oreagba, Olumale Eluku of Ikorodu, Prof Adebayo Ninalowo, Chief David Sunmoni, Chairman, Governing Council, Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Taiwo Hassan, Medical Director, General Hospital, lkorodu, Alhaja (Chief) Idiat Sanda, High Chief Wasiu….., Alase ltunmoja and others.