TRADITIONAL rulers, community leaders and top government functionaries yesterday gathered at the sleepy community of Afin in Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State to celebrate the unveiling of the oldest man in the town, Prince Kilani Aderibigbe-Balogun.
At the ceremony, Pa Kilani, who is over 100 year-old, was introduced as the current oldest man of Egunyin Oke/Eguyin-Odo of Afin Akoko, popularly called “Opon ilu”.
Findings indicated that Aderibigbe-Balogun celebrated his centenarian birthday few years ago before he was officially declared as the oldest man last weekend.
Addressing the gathering, the Commissioner for Natural Resources in Ondo State, Rasheed Badmus, who is also an indigene of Afin-Akoko, urged African people not to allow western civilisation to erode their culture and tradition.
The commissioner, who represented Chief Ejigbo of Afin-Akoko, said since “white men” didn’t drop their own lifestyle and culture, Africans should hold on to their tradition of celebrating elders.
Badmus prayed God to grant the new oldest man sound health to use his wealth of experience to move the town forward.
In his remark, a frontline traditional ruler, the Olubaka of Oka-Akoko, Oba Yusuf Adebori-Adeleye, advised people to always honour the elders.
The monarch described Prince Kilani Balogun as highly intelligent person who had initiated many good things that are beneficial to the citizenry.
The celebrator Pa Aderibigbe-Balogun urged Nigerian government to do more for the elderly people, particularly the pensioners to live a good life at old age.
The son of the new opon, Alhaji Ibrahim Kilani, who is also the National Organising Secretary, Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria (AUD), described his father as a selfless hardworking and honest man, who spent his days to promote the growth of Afin Akoko and humanity.
Dignitaries at the event included the Alauga of Auga-Akoko, Oba Samuel Agunloye; Ikare Police Area Commander Assistant Commissioner of Police Razak Rauf and Alhaji Basiru Aminu Chairman, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Akoko among others.
Leave a Reply