It was all majesty, grandeur and pageantry on Saturday as Iyin Ekiti, a major town
in South-West Ekiti State, celebrated Iyin Day 2024, an annual
socio-cultural celebration that brings together all the sons and
daughters of the town as well as invited guests from around the
country.
Notable personalities, including traditional rulers, turned out in
their numbers to witness Iyin Day Carnival, which was the culmination
of week-long activities that included interdenominational service,
medical outreach, environmental sanitation, commissioning of projects,
medical outreach, health and fitness walk, sports competitions and
essay writing.
The highlight of the event was the honouring of deserving
personalities with chieftaincy titles and the launch of the town’s
N750 million Development Fund, which saw a prominent son of the town,
Chief Olutoye Ariyo, making the highest single donation of N100
million.
The Senate Leader, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, who is an indigene of the town, donated N24 million, including N4 million to the four quarters.
Akogun Lanre Adesuyi, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Housing and Mortgage, Hon. Gbenga Oloniyo, was the Chairman at the celebration.
In his speech, the Oluyin of Iyin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeola Adeniyi
Ajakaiye, who was celebrating his second Iyin Day since ascending the
throne, said the theme of this year’s event, Celebration of Unity and
Development, aligns with his priorities of unity, peace, and
development.
He said the town had recorded ‘remarkable achievements’ in the last one year, including the projects funded in the four quarters of the
town from the funds realized from the 2023 Iyin Day celebration.
The Oluyin listed other achievements as including the renovation of
the palace, which he said is now delineated, gated and well-lit, with
refurbished living quarters, the completion of 46 lock-up shops and 60 open stalls, the commissioning of a modern Old People’s Home and the
provision of financial assistance to Iyin students in higher
institutions
”Despite these achievements, there remains much work to be done. Our
General Hospital requires upgrades in both equipment and personnel. We also need a boys’ hostel for the Science School, allowing it to
relocate to its permanent site and enabling Egiri-Oke High School to
return to its own location. We appeal to all our sons and daughters,
both at home and abroad, to support these efforts,” he said.
Oba Ajakaiye expressed his gratitude to His Excellency, Governor Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State, and his cabinet for their continued support, and commended the youth of the town for shunning vices such as illicit drug use and criminality, and instead channeling their energies into productive endeavors.
Earlier, in his address of welcome, the Chairman of the Central
Organizing Committee for Iyin Day 2024, Pastor Remi Obaparusi, assured that all donations made towards the development fund would be fully accounted for.
He also said all development projects to be newly embarked upon would
be closely monitored and progress reports given from time to time to
the community.
