The governor of Osun State, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, on Saturday lauded the Ijabe Community of Odo-Otin Local Government Area in Osun State, for its ingenuity in finding a link between celebrating culture and prosecuting developmental projects.
This followed the celebration of the 2021 edition of Ijabe Day with a N100million fundraiser for the completion of the Community’s civic centre and other community projects.
Oyetola, while speaking at the socio-cultural event in Ijabe, described the initiative as a good and timely response to his administration’s call on all towns and villages to prosecute community projects to complement his administration’s massive and equitable projects for the development of the State.
Oyetola, who was represented by the his Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Rasak Adeosun, implored indigenes of Ijabe, home and in diaspora, and other well-wishers, to donate generously towards the fundraiser so that the objective of unleashing community development projects on the town can be realized.
He also called on other towns and communities across the State to emulate the Ijabe’s initiative, as part of contribution to the overall development of Osun.
“I congratulate the Onijabe of Ijabe, the Chiefs, Elders of the land, indigenes, both at home and in the Diaspora, friends and well-wishers on Ijabe Day celebration. It is heartening and instructive that the annual Ijabe-Day has been sustained over the years as a way of promoting and emplacing unity, progress and development as handed down by your founding fathers.
“I would like to thank the good people of Ijabe for their support for our Administration and for sustaining the peace, the Omoluabi ethos and the culture and tradition of their people and the Yoruba race. I urge you to continue to uphold these virtues which have singled you out as a pride to Osun and have significantly contributed to both the ranking of our dear State as the most peaceful State in the federation and the positive enhancement of its socio-economic development.
“I am enthused by your ingenuity in finding a link between celebrating your culture and prosecuting development as exemplified in the N100m fundraiser for the completion of the town hall and other community projects. This initiative is a good and timely response to our call on all our towns and villages to prosecute community projects to complement our Administration’s massive and equitable projects for the development of the State.
“I therefore implore all the indigenes of Ijabe, home and in the Diaspora, and our distinguished invited guests, friends and well-wishers to donate generously towards the fundraiser so that the objective of unleashing community development projects on the town can be realized. I also urge you all to continue to sustain this initiative in the interest of the people.
“We have fulfilled our promise to distribute social services to all our towns and villages. Ijabe and Odo Otin Local Government have benefitted from our health care, education, socioeconomic, road infrastructure, citizens’ welfare and security programmes in the past three years of our Administration. These interventions are geared towards unleashing socioeconomic development on your town and Local Government.
“Let me assure you that our Administration shall continue to give the development of Osun citizens and the security of its people, of which Ijabe is an important component, optimum priority. I would like to implore you to continue to offer your support and sustain the peaceful environment for our continued overall development”, Oyetola said.
The Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, who commended Ijabe Community for partnering with the government on community development, harped on accountability and responsibility on the part of the project managers adding that it is the community’s guarantee for a robust involvement in the project.
Earlier in her remark, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode, who described as the cultural event as an opportunity to talk about the development issues in the Community, called on residents and indigenes of Ijabe to stay united towards ensuring that the developmental needs are met.
She also called on indigenes of the Community to continue to support the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, adding that he is a leader with good intentions for the people of Osun.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Ijabe Progressive Union, Mr Surajudeen Akinloye, who described Governor Adegboyega Oyetola as a lover of physical developments with evidences across the state, said the project is the Community’s alignment with the welfaristic orientation of the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola whose programmes and policies are geared towards touching the lives of the people.
