The Onigede of Igede Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru 11 (JP) has called on both federal and Ekiti State government to help turn Elemi, Osun, Ogbese river and several monuments in the town to tourist centres.
The monarch made the call on Tuesday, 29th August, 2023 at a press briefing to herald his 90th birthday and 64 year coronation in his palace.The monarch stressed that Igede Ekiti has many tourist centres that need to be showcased to the world.
While reiterating that Ekiti State government and Igede Ekiti would benefit immensely if Elemi, Ogbese Osun river and some monuments are properly harnessed as tourist centres. He called on Governor Oyebanji to quickly tap the resources which would add to the economic and cultural growth of Ekiti State.
Oba James Aladesuru 11(JP) who clocked 64 years on the throne and 90 years on Earth was conferred the longest serving Monarch Award by the Nigerian Baptist Convention recently. Igede Ekiti witnessed tremendous achievements in human capital development and social infrastructures which have in no small ways raised the standard of living of residents of the town during the reign of the monarch.
Highlighting areas of massive development in Igede Ekiti during the reign of Oba Aladesuru 11 (JP) includes: Education, healthcare, socio- cultural, commerce, zonal offices of both federal and state parastatals and others.
Oba Aladesuru 11 who said due to expansion by influx of people in the town solicited government presence on improving social amenities, construction of good roads across the town and provision of more amenities that would make life easy for his subjects.
The Monarch appreciated the support of his chiefs and Igede sons and daughters, home and abroad for their contribution towards the development of Igede Ekiti.He prayed God to protect and continually prosper them in their endeavours while enjoining them to be good ambassadors of the town wherever they find themselves.
In a separate interview, Surveyor, High Chief Peter Adeyinka Adeleye, the Adara of Igede-Ekiti, called on Governor Oyebanji to help fix all roads leading to Igede Ekiti, adding that technical school, functional health centres and other infrastructures should be improved upon for the residents of the town to enjoy dividends of democracy.
He said, “I made bold to say that this is local government headquarters in name not in tools because no good roads, no infrastructures.
You can scarcely go on any road without tears and the health centres doesn’t have equipments, infrastructures.
As a result, many people don’t go there because they don’t serve the people well, they need improvement, the school too need improvement and we really need a technical college here, to train carpenters, electricians, builders etc so that they can Graduate and replace old people who are dying.
We need to Government to develop the road from Ado-Ekiti, to Iyin, Igede to Aramoko and to Ilesha which has bee abandoned since 1983”
Also, High Chief Adebayo Fadairo, Olota of Igede-Ekiti, a retired assistant Inspector General of Police, According to him ” Igede has lots of potential tourism, we have Elemi, Osun and Ogbese, even mountain that has hot water, lots more.
We’ve been trying on Osun for the past 5 years now and we celebrate Osun festival every may 27 and people come all over the world.
We are appealing to the Government, we wrote to the federal ministry of culture and tourism, Abuja, and Ado and they have been supporting us but we are still appealling to come to our aid and make sure the thing is big and well placed all over the world.”
Engr Chief Philip Ayodeji Adebolu, the Ajiroba of Igede-Ekiti also appealed to Governor Oyebanji to help fixed all abandon roads in the town while appreciating his good works in the state.
While corroborating Kabiyesi, The Aniroba said “As the Kabiyesi said, there was a road that started several years ago and was to go from Ado-Ekiti to Itawure, that road was abandoned over several years but the previous administration started it from Ado-Ekiti to Iyin and stopped.
It will be good if this road continue to ease traffic, enable business, to strive in the state and it will help the state to develop”
On Saturday 2nd September, friends, well wishers, sons and daughters of Igede Ekiti and eminent personalities shall converge at the town to celebrate 90 years birthday of the monarch and 64 years on the throne.