There would be an exclusive gathering of Yoruba leaders to celebrate the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Senator Lekan Balogun Alli Okunmade II, on Sunday.
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo will be the Keynote Speaker, while Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is expected as the Special Guest of Honour at the event.
The event, coming up at the University of Ibadan under the chairmanship of former Governor Rasheed Ladoja, is put together by the Yoruba World Centre (YWC) to formally introduce the traditional to the larger Yoruba community.
This will be done by presenting him to Yoruba lords of business, politics, administration and traditions who will all be hosted by the governor of Oyo state, Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde.
Commenting on this new development, the Coordinator of YWC, Ogbeni Alao Adedayo, said in Yoruba Language, “A fẹẹ fi oko kan pa ẹyẹ meji ni!” (We want to kill two birds with a stone).
He added: “Our earlier plan was to celebrate the new Olubadan among our traditional rulers and other leaders, and we had thus invited both Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“But we later realised that these two foremost political and government leaders from our own side here have just come out of a competition which generated lots of misunderstandings among our people.
“So, we intensified efforts to ensure their presence for rapprochement, and we are glad to say that they shall be with us on that day. We are not inviting them for politics. Therefore, no politics will be allowed on the occasion.
“It is for them and other respected personalities to come and relax, enjoy the arts and culture of their own people, look at ways to make this culture become a tool for national unity, beneficial co-existence, youth development and empowerment.
“You won’t believe how glad we were when signals came that the two are coming to celebrate with the new Olubadan and the Yoruba people.”
Oba Senator Balogun was crowned on March 11, 2022, and Sunday, 19th June marks his 100 days in office, thus YWC, in collaboration with the Oyo State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and Tunde Odunlade Arts Gallery, planned a huge celebration for the traditional ruler.
