Connect with us

Top Stories

Aje festival 2021: Ooni charges govt. to direct economic policies at Nigerians

Published

on

The Arole Oduduwa & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has charged the federal and state governments to direct economic policies and other laudable programmes at the entire citizenry.

Ooni Ogunwusi, the Co-Chairman of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) gave the charge during the 2021 edition of the annual celebration of Aje Festival at his Ile-Oodua palace, on Monday in Ile-Ife globally accepted ancestral home for Yoruba race and all the descendants of Oduduwa home and abroad. .

The Ooni who lauded Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government over several economic programmes and policies like the, recent employment of 774,000 Nigerians across the country and other interventions also advised the government to do more for the Nigerian masses by using cultural tourism as a veritable means for economic revolution.

“For us to progress as a country, we must ensure that our wealth goes round especially to the poor and other vulnerable members of the society. We cannot keep having strikingly rich few Nigerians and uncountable ones wallowing in abject poverty. To do this, the government must look at cultural tourism as a veritable tool for revolutionizing the economy before its too late. The Ooni decried.

While explaining the basis for the Aje Festival celebrations, the African foremost monarch who is also the Natural overall father for the Oodua race worldwide explained that it is a unique way through which the Yoruba people globally remember the deity which is known for wealth and riches.

“Aje is a deity which is known for wealth and riches. Its annual celebration as you have witnessed today is to acknowledge its relevance to us as people, especially its indispensable nature to us.

“Did you see the struggle for it during the procession to and from the Aje temple? That is the spirit of Aje, all of us are not rich because it is not easy to accumulate wealth.

“We are not devaluing the currency by spraying it to our people, we only do it on a special day like this to spread happiness. In the olden days, it was cowries, sometimes ago it was coins, nowadays it is naira notes and we hold it in a very high esteem.” The Ooni noted.

Coordinator of the annual Aje Festival, Princess Oluwatoyin Kolade expressed happiness for the massive turnout of participants from within and outside Nigeria without even pre publicity. Toyin Kolade, the Ilesa born international trader and great philanthropist gave all credit to Ooni Ogunwusi for the opportunity given her to contribute to cultural development of the Oodua race, pledging her continued loyalty and commitment to the development of the prestigious Yoruba cultural heritage.

“My father the Ooni is loaded with productive dynamism and great innovations for our race and African continent as a whole, especially in the area of cultural tourism revolution. He appointed me as his cultural ambassador in charge of Aje festival 4 years ago and with his unflinching support I have so far enjoyed, this Aje festival which was merely a local affair before 5 years ago has today become one of the important Nigeria cultural festivals with participants from all over the world. This Ooni is God sent, Wallahi!! “. Toyin Kolade said.

The Oore of Otun-Ekiti & Paramount Ruler of Mobaland, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, the Obaro of Kabba Oba Joseph and Onisale of Isale who led the delegation from Republic of Benin were among the traditional rulers joined other dignitaries including Nollywood stars like, Iya Rainbow, Lanre Hassan (Iya Awero) and others to witness the event while the Fuji music maestro, Abass Akande (Obesere) thrilled the guests.

AJE OLOKUN the goddess of wealth is among the loved ones out of the 401 deities(Irunmoles) that formed the first dynasty of mankind known as Ife Oodaye. These deities are still being celebrated in lle-lfe and globally till date.

The main capacity and strength of the goddess of wealth is to provide sufficient wealth and greater economic benefits for whoever worships the Almighty God through her.

AJE can be found everywhere; waters, air, land, trees, fire, among others. It is a deity synonymous with cowries which were being spent globally before the advent of present currencies.

Comments

News

Oseni celebrates Oyo APC Publicist,  Sadare, extols loyalty, commitment to progressive cause

Published

on

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has congratulated the Oyo State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Wasiu Olawale Sadare, on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a loyal progressive, effective communicator and committed party stalwart whose contributions have continued to strengthen the party in the state.

Oseni, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, said Sadare has remained a consistent and dependable voice of the party, discharging his responsibilities with professionalism, integrity and an unwavering commitment to the ideals of the All Progressives Congress.

He noted that the Oyo APC spokesman has distinguished himself through responsible public communication, constructive engagement and an enduring commitment to promoting the party’s vision, values and programmes.

According to the chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Sadare’s humility, calm disposition and ability to articulate the party’s position with clarity have earned him the respect of party leaders, members and stakeholders, while also contributing to the unity and stability of the APC in Oyo State.

“Alhaji Wasiu Olawale Sadare is a committed progressive whose loyalty and dedication to our great party have remained steadfast over the years. He has served with uncommon diligence and has continued to project the ideals of the APC with dignity, courage and sincerity,” Oseni said.

The lawmaker added that the publicist’s birthday presents another opportunity to celebrate a man whose service has gone beyond official responsibility, noting that his contributions to strengthening internal cohesion and fostering constructive engagement within the party deserve commendation.

“As you mark another year today, I join your family, friends, political associates and the entire progressive family in celebrating God’s faithfulness in your life. Your commitment to duty, humility and sense of responsibility continue to inspire many within our party.”
Oseni prayed for greater accomplishments for the celebrant, asking Almighty Allah to bless him with good health, wisdom and renewed strength to continue serving the party and humanity.

“I pray that Almighty Allah grants you many more years in sound health, abundant grace and greater accomplishments. May He continue to guide your steps, enlarge your coast and reward your selfless service to our great party, Oyo State and our nation. Happy birthday, and many happy returns.”
The statement added that Oseni wished Sadare a memorable celebration and expressed confidence that his wealth of experience, dedication and leadership would continue to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the APC and the advancement of progressive politics in Oyo State.

Continue Reading

News

Oyo lawmaker, Oseni empowers Agbeni traders with ₦50m grant, rallies support for Tinubu

Published

on

The All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Oyo South, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, on Friday strengthened his grassroots engagement with traders by presenting a ₦50 million business grant to members of the Agbeni Amunigun Traders Association in Ibadan.

The empowerment package is expected to benefit traders across the market, which cuts across Ibadan North-West and Ibadan South-West Local Government Areas of Oyo State.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, also donated ₦5 million towards the completion of the association’s secretariat. He further pledged to install solar-powered streetlights within the market to improve security and make the business environment more conducive.

Speaking during an interactive meeting with the association’s leaders, executives and representatives of its 15 zones, the lawmaker described traders as key drivers of the local economy, saying they deserved continuous support to grow their businesses and improve their standard of living.

He also appealed to the traders to sustain their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressing confidence that the economic reforms introduced by the administration would deliver lasting benefits for the country.

“The decisions taken by President Tinubu were difficult, but they were necessary. Today, fuel queues are gone, states and local governments receive higher allocations, and more resources are available for infrastructure, education, healthcare and other development projects, including the regular payment of salaries,” he said.

Oseni highlighted ongoing road rehabilitation projects, interventions in the health sector, agricultural support initiatives and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as some of the programmes making a difference under the current administration.

He noted that the student loan scheme had opened up access to higher education for many young Nigerians, while other economic reforms were laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

Looking ahead, Oseni promised that if elected to represent Oyo South in the Senate in 2027, he would facilitate an interest-free revolving loan scheme for traders. He said the programme would be jointly managed by the market leadership and a reputable microfinance bank to ensure genuine traders had access to affordable credit.

“I will continue to support policies and programmes that help small and medium-scale businesses thrive because traders remain the engine of our economy. My goal is to create opportunities that will help your businesses expand and improve the welfare of your families,” he said, assuring the association that the requests presented to him would receive prompt attention.

Earlier, the Babaloja of the market, Alhaji Abdul-Latifu Abdulganiyu; the Baale, Alhaji Muniru Oladayo; the General Chairman of the market, Alhaji Nureni Lawal; the Iyaloja’s representative, Alhaja Basirat Owolanwa; and the youth representative, Alhaji Adeyinka Basiru, praised Oseni for his consistent support for traders and other community-based empowerment programmes.

The market leaders unanimously endorsed his senatorial ambition and pledged to mobilise support for his 2027 bid, saying his record of empowerment, constituency projects and community development had earned him the confidence of the people.

 

Continue Reading

Politics

Oyo : Oseni seeks reconciliation, urges aggrieved APC members to close ranks

Published

on

‎The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has called on aggrieved members of the party in Oyo State to put the outcome of the primary behind them and embrace reconciliation in the interest of the party ahead of the 2027 general election.

‎The appeal came on Wednesday at an enlarged meeting of APC leaders and stakeholders in Ibadan North East Local Government Area, where Oseni urged members to close ranks and work together to reposition the party for victory at the polls.

‎In a statement issued by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency said the time had come for party faithful to move beyond the disagreements that followed the primary election.

‎He said: “The primary election has come and gone. As loyal party members, our responsibility now is to unite behind the decisions of our great party and work together for its success. There is no victory without unity.”

‎The chairman House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) noted that while it was natural for party members to hold different opinions during the contest, the APC’s overriding interest must remain paramount, urging those with reservations to seek redress through dialogue rather than division.

‎According to him, “I appeal to every leader, stakeholder, member and supporter of our party to sheathe the sword, forgive one another and embrace genuine reconciliation. Our shared commitment to the APC is greater than any individual ambition.”

‎The APC senatorial candidate said the challenges confronting the party could only be overcome through collective resolve, mutual respect and sustained engagement among members across the state.

‎”The people of Oyo State expect a strong and united APC that is ready to provide purposeful leadership. We cannot afford to remain divided when there is so much work to be done. This is the time to rebuild trust, strengthen our structures and move forward together,” he said.

Oseni expressed confidence that with reconciliation, discipline and the support of party leaders and members, the APC would emerge stronger from the primary process and be well positioned to secure victory in Oyo State in the 2027 general election.

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Entertainment

Advertisement

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Advertisement

Trending