The Onijan of Ijan Ekiti, Oba Lawrence Adebanji Aladesuyi, is a prominent traditional ruler in Ekiti State, superintending over a town with rich culture and traditions. In this interview with journalists, he perceived the reenactment of Ijan Day festival as a sign of renewed hope and evidence that Ijan Ekiti is destined for greatness. Excerpts:
Kabiyesi, you have been in the saddle as Onijan for three years. How has the experience been?
Let me thank God almighty for making it possible for me to assume the exalted stool of my forebears. It is not because I was too outstanding as a personality. It was God that made it possible. I also appreciate all the indigenes of Ijan Ekiti for their wonderful support. In fact, I got more than I bargained for in terms of support from Ijan home and abroad. I will go to that fully later. About my experience on the throne, it has been so eventful. You know coming from a private background where we only involved in boardroom politics to traditional politics, the two are contrasts, but I had to adjust myself to the reality of now and I am fully used to it. Spending my childhood here in Ijan Ekiti also helped me a lot. You know when we were young, we used to visit the palace and houses of some of our chiefs to see how things were done and these really helped us. The bottomline of the whole thing is that, the spirit of Ijan progenitors and the fact that we are here to pursue, peace, unity and development has been the most potent guiding principle and God has been helping us to achieve some of our set targets.
Kabiyesi, three years down the line. What experience can you share with us in terms of challenges?
Well, there is no town without challenges. Life itself is full of ups and downs, joys and sorrows. When I came, I met a town that was a little bit divided just because of little things that could have been resolved so easily if we believe in the spirit of engagement. Today, I thank God that the three prominent arms that we have: Erunwa, which is the palace area, Isuru, which shares border with Iluomoba and Ikota, the gateway to the Ado Ekiti capital city, are now sitting and taking decisions together and this has added more glamour to our fame, greatness and honour. When I assumed the royal seat, Ijan Ekiti was in total darkness, but today, we enjoy more regular power supply than any town in Gbonyin and Ayekire Local Governments. It is not really about getting supply, but we are seeing the dividends in terms of local economy, because our artisans can now operate within the town. Then, in terms of security, we are better because the bandits often operate under the cover of darkness, but due to the fact that we enjoy better electricity, some of these things have reduced. We appreciate Governor Biodun Oyebanji for reconnecting Gbonyin and Ayekire that was in total darkness for over 15 years back to national grid. The current trend could have been difficult to achieve if not for our good government.
The Ijan Day celebration that was rested for many years is coming on stream this year’s November? What does this portend for your kingdom?
To me, It is the happiest moment I have been waiting for. Ijan Day remains the most unifying celebration, I call it festival, among Ijan people. It is the time when people sit together, reason about the town, wined and dined and displayed our rich culture. Go and check the records, there was no Ekiti musician, either Elemure Ogunyemi to Ologun Sunny to Baba Isola Adepoju that didn’t link and honour Ijan Ekiti as the home of masquerades, especially the Ede Masquerade. That was the reason Ijan was called Ijan Lule Ede( Ijan was the cradle of Ede Masquerade). This is the best time to further showcase our rich culture and traditions to the entire world. During this week, we will do sporting activities like footballing, Ayo Olopon, Play draft and all that. They will be competed for and handsome rewards will be given out .We have also dedicated a whole day to the offering of free medical services to our indigenes as a way of preventing untimely death and morbidity rate. Our masquerades will also come out to entertain our people and the guests and we will also talk about our general development. We will do a launching to raise multimillion naira to undertake the construction of our new palace. You know we are in a modern world and we have to move with that trend. We have been able to build the hall through personal donations of our illustrious sons and daughters within the palace and we now hold our weekly meetings there. We appreciate those who contributed and I pray the good Lord shall bless them and those who intend to make contributions in the future. So, I am happy that this is coming on board and it is a sign of renewed hope, renewed unity, renewed development and renewed greatness for my people.
You are looking at a ceremony that will unite the people. What is your advice to your people?
I want to charge them to see this celebration as a collective one, it is for everybody. It is not about those who are at home alone. It is a celebration of our unity, rich culture, our greatness and what we are known for. Throughout Ekiti, if you mention the name Ijan Ekiti, you see the respect people will accord you because of our symbol and attachment to Ede, Egungun Ire and Olumoru masquerades. We are almost synonymous with them. But we have gone beyond this, Ijan Day is now about pursuing development. Opportunity for us to sit down and ruminate on how best to pull intellectual, physical, moral and financial resources together to build Ijan Ekiti of our dream. I solicit everybody’s cooperation. We have rested this ceremony for years, we want to reignite it in the interest of all of us.
You spoke about development. How far have you gone in this area?
Development is a process and not a destination in itself. We are really developing , but I can’t say we have achieved everything. Let me once again appreciate Governor Biodun Oyebanji for the construction of Ijan-Igbemo-Ilupeju road, building of smart school, construction of airport between Ijan and Ado Ekiti and for reconnecting us back to the national electricity grid. We are still hoping that the Government will facilitate the construction of the federal owned Ado-Ijan-Ikare road , which is the most important road to those of us in this axis. That road links Ijan with The Federal Polytechnic, Afe Babalola hospital, Afe Babalola university and the state capital. Then, Ijan-Ise and Ijan-Ikere roads are also there. This is our cocoa, yam and cassava belts, we need good roads to access these portions of our town. The most important to me is employment for our youths. Go and check your records, Ijan Ekiti is at the forefront of education in Gbonyin local government, so we have high youth unemployment rate and we need the government’s patronage in this regard. The youths are the future of this town and we have to empower them.
Self development is now the best way to develop a town. To what extent have your people cooperated in this regard?
In fact, I want to appreciate the new trend in Ijan Ekiti now. Some of our indigenes who had lived in United States of America for years are now returning home to establish industries in Ijan Ekiti. One of them is Major Jide Ijadare, a retired American soldier who established Palm oil processing industry in this town along Ijan-Ise road. In fact, this industry has really added value to us because we have scores of our people working there. Let me tell you this, the contribution of this industry to electricity funding was responsible for why the BEDC often gave stable electricity supply to Ijan Ekiti. This is one gesture I do not take for granted. One of them is also just settling down now to block making industry while I am still expecting more who have promised to comr back home and settle down after working in US for decades. These are the things we want to be seeing. Seeing my people coming home to join the development train. And I am assuring them that we will cooperate with them fully and they won’t regret returning home to join their families.
Committees have been set up and nothing can be achieved when people showed laxity? What is your advice to your subjects on this?
I advise members of the various committees set up to put in their best and ensure that the reunion under the cover of Ijan Day receives the best in history. You know what it means for people to reunite after a long year. I am not saying we have not been interacting, but this platform is broader and offers the best unifying pedestal for all of us. No Ijan son or daughter can come home from US or UK , even Lagos to come and attend ordinary meeting of the town, but they can come home and attend Ijan Day celebration. It is unique. I appeal to my subjects all over the world to cooperate with the committees by offering moral, physical and financial support to organise the best celebration that all of us can be proud of. Ijan had good sons and daughters all over the world that are doing well and remembering their fatherland. I know they won’t disappoint us with their contributions, I trust my people. They should also know that they have no other town they can be proud of besides Ijan Ekiti, which is our own Jerusalem.
Your prayers for your subjects.
My prayer has always been for God to give them good and sound health. For God to continue to give them security cover and prosper them wherever they are. Bless them richly. In this modern days, any town without illustrious and successful sons and daughters won’t prosper. I pray to Olodumare(God) to bless the work of their hands, so that they can return home with bountiful blessings that will benefit them individually and as well benefit Ijan Ekiti as a corporate entity.