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Tag: Ado Ekiti

  • Tinubu, Ooni, Sanwo-Olu to grace Ewi of Ado-Ekiti’s 35th coronation

    Tinubu, Ooni, Sanwo-Olu to grace Ewi of Ado-Ekiti’s 35th coronation

    President Bola Tinubu, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, are among the dignitaries expected at the 35th coronation anniversary and 80th birthday celebration of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe.

    Speaking at a news conference at the Ewi’s Palace, the Global President of the Ado Progressive Union, Prince Segun Famuagun, announced that Governor Sanwo-Olu will serve as chief launcher, while Senator Ibikunle Amosun will act as co-launcher. The Ooni of Ife will attend as the Royal Father of the Day.

    Prince Famuagun said the week-long celebration will include the disbursement of N100,000 bursaries to 50 indigent students of Ekiti origin.

    He noted that the five-day programme is designed to highlight the monarch’s contributions to the growth of Ado-Ekiti and the development of Ekiti State.

    Activities lined up include homage by groups and chiefs, a football match on Wednesday, and a Thursday colloquium themed “The Impact of Royal Fathers in Ado Community.” The event will also feature scholarship presentations.

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    According to him, academics from Ekiti State University will speak on the history of Ado-Ekiti and the impact of Oba Adejugbe’s 35-year reign.

    He added that scholarship recipients were selected through a rigorous process conducted in partnership with the Ekiti State Scholarship Board. Outstanding WAEC and GCE candidates, as well as winners of the essay competition, will also be honoured on Thursday.

    The festivities will begin with a Jumat service at the central mosque, followed by a photo exhibition and a drama presentation at the palace. The drama will chronicle the monarch’s life from ascension to the throne to his development over the years.

    On Saturday, the monarch’s royal book will be launched, alongside the conferment of chieftaincy titles on distinguished sons, daughters, and friends of Ado-Ekiti.

    The celebration will climax on Sunday with a thanksgiving service at St. Emmanuel’s Cathedral, Okesha, followed by a grand reception at the palace.

  • Heavy rainstorm destroys buildings, others in Ekiti

    Heavy rainstorm destroys buildings, others in Ekiti

    A heavy rainstorm has wreaked havoc in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, and neighbouring communities, destroying properties worth millions of naira.

    The two-hour storm on Saturday caused extensive damage to residential buildings, public institutions, commercial structures, and electrical facilities.

    Electrical poles and telecommunication masts were toppled, while roofs were ripped off buildings, leaving hundreds homeless. Areas worst hit in Ado metropolis include Oke-Ori Omi, Odo Are Much, Bank Road, Fajuyi Area, Okesa, Oke-Ila, Odo Ado, and Isato-Oke.

    During an on-site assessment on Sunday, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji described the destruction as “monumental and worrisome.”

    Represented by his deputy, Chief Monisade Afuye, the governor sympathised with the victims and pledged government support through timely interventions to rebuild damaged structures.

    “You could see that the destruction was massive, and there is no way it won’t be a financial burden to those who were affected. Though we are happy that no life was lost, this is a major thing for us.

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    “We have always been advocating that our people should do turnaround maintenance on their buildings before the start of the rainy season. The government was also encouraging tree planting around residential buildings to serve as windbreakers. These are the best ways to prevent some of these occurrences.

    “We sympathised with those affected. Like we have said earlier, we won’t abandon them. We are with them, and the government will surely intervene and give the support required to rebuild these damaged structures”, he promised.

    The governor directed the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (EK-SEMA) to conduct a thorough evaluation and enumeration exercise of those affected in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    He appealed to the federal government to intervene timely in the Ekiti rainstorm incident, regretting that thousands across the 16 local governments have become homeless, while some had already lost their means of livelihood.