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Tag: Ataoja of Osogbo

Ataoja palace agog for Osun-Osogbo grand finale

The palace of Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, yesterday witnessed a large number of visitors and tourists, ahead of the grand finale of Osun-Osogbo festival.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the grand finale of the festival, which started on July 29, will hold today.

The festival is expected to be attended by devotees within and outside the country.

NAN reports that custodians of Osun Osogbo groove and devotees were sighted moving in and out of the palace, preparatory to the grand finale.

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NAN also reports that the roads leading to the groove wore traditional decorations made by the devotees, while security personnel were stationed at strategic locations to maintain law and order.

Oba Oyetunji had earlier assured visitors of their safety before, during and after the festival.

Also, the Group Head and Media Manager for the festival, Mr Oyindamola Olukanmi, said arrangements had been concluded for the safety of lives and property.

He said an extensive deployment of security personnel had been put in place to ensure memorable and seamless experience for everyone attending the festival’s grand finale.

In recognition of its global significance and cultural value, the Sacred Groove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

August 9, 2024
2019 Osun festival will be different – Ataoja

Five months ahead of the annual Osun Osogbo festival, plans to make this year’s edition a huge success and different from the previous ones have begun in earnest.

The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, during the visit to his palace by a team of a tourism, art and culture consultancy group, the Equity Global, led by its principal consultant, Mr. Williams Derrick, said the economic value of the festival to Nigeria is immeasurable.

Oba Oyetunji said the festival annually contributes not only to the local economy but the national economy with influx of people from all parts of the world to participate in the socio-cultural and religious activities of the event.

He explained that he was determined to preserve the heritage of the festival and the Osun Sacred Grove, which was listed among the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) world heritage site in 2005.

The Ataoja said as a custodian of Osun deity, he has the responsibility to ensure her preservation and safe keeping.

The first class monarch, who denied alleged sales of Osun deity, which he described as an “immovable spirit,” advised the people to disregard the accusation.

He maintained that selling Osun deity amounts to selling his throne as the Ataoja of Osogbo, saying he derived part of his power from the existence of the Osun goddess.

March 31, 2019
2019 Osun festival will be a huge success, says Ataoja

Five months ahead of the annual Osun Osogbo festival, plans to make this year edition a huge success and different from the previous ones have begun in earnest.

The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, during the visit to his palace by a team of a tourism, art and culture consultancy group, the Equity Global led by its Principal Consultant, Mr. Williams Derrick, said the economic value of the festival to Nigeria is immeasurable.

Oba Oyetunji said the festival annually contributed not only to the local economy but the national economy with influx of people from all parts of the world to participate in the religious tourism.

He explained that he was determined to preserve the heritage of the festival and the Osun Sacred Grove, which was listed among the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage site in 2005.

The Ataoja said as a custodian of Osun deity he has the responsibility to ensure her preservation and safe keeping preservation.

The first class monarch, who denied alleged sales of Osun deity, which he described as an “immovable spirit,” advised the people to disregard the accusation.

He maintained that selling Osun deity amounts to selling his throne as the Ataoja of Osogbo, saying he derived part of his power from the existence of the Osun goddess.

In his remark, Mr. Derrick, who noted that the Equity Global has been appointed the new consultant for Osun Osogbo festival, said this year edition of the festival will witness some innovations.

According to him, the Equity Global will this year work with more local people in diverse trades and arts and culture business to make the festival memorable and eventful.

March 28, 2019
Aregbesola has redefined Osun politics – Ataoja

….we will complete payment of loans next year, says Aregbesola

The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun has said that the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osun has brought a halt to killings and destructions that had hitherto characterised Osun politics.

‎This was even as Governor Aregbesola disclosed that Osun government would by next year complete the refund on the sukuk and conventional loans taken to execute basic infrastructural projects in the state‎.

The duo stated this at the Ataoja’s palace during the goodwill visit of governor Aregbesola to Oba Olanipekun to mark the grand-finale of the sensitisation tours to the nine Federal Constituencies in the state.

‎The Ataoja held that the peace and sanity that Aregbesola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have brought to politics in the state is a monumental achievement in the annals of politicking in Osun.

‎The monarch also lauded Aregbesola’s legacies in every sector of the economy, saying his government has changed the face of governance in the state.

He described Aregbesola’s government as the best in the history of the state, stressing that Osogbo and the entire people of Osun would continue to be grateful to God for giving the state a personality like him.

Oba Olanipekun called on the people of the state to reflect soberly on the coming governorship election and elect a worthy successor that will continue with the good works, after the expiration of the term of the present administration.

In his words, “to me, the greatest achievement of this government is the peace it has brought to politics and the state. It is with the coming of this administration that we know that politics can be done without killing and destruction.

“Before now in Osun, we all think politics is associated with brigandage and violence, but Aregbesola and APC have brought such thing to its knees; we can now all sleep with our eyes closed.

“Aregbesola is a governor who listens to the voice of the masses at all times and that is why he has been able to fulfil most of his campaign promises to the people of Osun in the last seven and half years.

“I want to use this medium to let you know the voice of Osogbo elders and this includes those who don’t even have sympathy for the APC, they always tell me that Aregbesola has done really well for our state”, Ataoja stressed.

‎Responding, Governor Aregbesola assured the people of Osun that the debt profile of the state would soon reduce drastically just as revenue inflow to the state would also take a turn for the better.

He described the loans taken by the state as a ‘necessity’ to rescue Osun from the shackles of backwardness and poor governance he met on assumption of office.

The governor regarded as baseless and unfounded the insinuations that the state had borrowed beyond its capacity, saying the debt profile of the state has been adjudged as moderate by the National Bureau of Statistics and several other relevant agencies.

He said his administration went borrowing to stimulate the economy of the state and as well as provide for the people the required basic infrastructure of development in all aspects of life.

“We thank God that Osun is moving forward through us and we are grateful to God for this. The opposition members are going about saying we are indebted. We don’t have a problem with that because the fact remains that we did not spend the debts on frivolities but rather on developmental projects that are everywhere for all to see.

“Osun will definitely clear the debts and our developmental projects will remain for the benefit of all. I am happy to inform you that the coast is getting clearer because by 2019 our SUKUK and conventional loans would have been cleared”, he enthused.

Read Also: ‘Aregbesola has set high standard, legacy in Osun’

May 10, 2018
‘Aregbesola laid 50 years infrastructure in 6years’
As Osogbo indigenes reaffirm support for Gov.

The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Larooye 11 and all Osogbo Chiefs have commended the various developmental strides of the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the state capital and indeed the whole of the state.‎‎

The Ataoja of Osogbo land, leading other chiefs of the ancient town on a courtesy visit to the Governor at the Government secretariat, stated that ‎the state capital has never had it so good under any administration.‎‎

He described the various intervention of the Governor as unprecedented in the history of Osogbo land and Osun in general.

The Royal father expressed delight at the new look the ancient town is now wearing as a result of various infrastructural developments going on in every nook and cranny of the state.

Oba Olanipekun, who particularly commended the efforts of the governor in the area of peace and security in Osogbo and environs also lauded the efforts in ensuring that health services in the state are at its best.

He said the level of high standard and quality being employed at executing road projects and school buildings across the state are such that the projects will stand the test of time.

He recalled that because of the deplorable state of what used to be called school buildings in the state before the present administration, the then schools served as hideouts for miscreants, a situation which the royal father said has stopped.

He said: “This visit became necessary because this administration has done what we never expected or dreamt of in Osogbo land.

“Osogbo is now gradually becoming one of the most beautiful cities in Nigeria because of the efforts of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

“We have come to show our solidarity and support to Aregbesola. We shall continue to show our loyalty to this administration in all ways we can because our town is now the cynosure of all eyes for good things.

“The roads and schools that are being constructed are of high quality and standard which we are so sure will stand the test of time. He has also done so much in the health sector. Osun is also very safe and secure as at today,” the royal father said.

Responding, Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who expressed gratitude to the royal father for the thank-you visit reiterated the commitment of his administration to continue to work assiduously to develop Osogbo and the entire state.

He said it has always been his determination to develop every part of the state in terms of infrastructures even before he became the governor.

Aregbesola who pointed out that all the projects being executed by his administration in the state presently are projects which ought to have been done stated that he has vowed never to leave Osun the way he met it.

He said more focus is being given to Osogbo because it is the state capital and whoever wants anything to do with Osun must first get to Osogbo, hence the need to make the state capital attractive to first timers in Osun.

The Governor blamed the down turn in the economy of the country as the sole reason why the present administration has not been able to do more than it is presently doing.

“I have vowed even before I became the governor of this great state never to leave it the way I met it.

“This administration is determined to take Osogbo and Osun in general to a great height. We believe in the dream of making Osun and Osogbo to become one of the best places to be in the world.

“We have decided to concentrate more in Osogbo because of two major reasons. One, because Osogbo is the state capital and secondly because anybody that has anything to do with Osun government must get to Osogbo.

“So there is the need to make the town beautiful and attractive to visitors and investors who are visiting the town for the first time.

“It’s a pity that the current economic downturn has slowed down our pace, but we are not deterred, we will continue to do our best to make Osun great. This is our pact with the people of this great state,” the governor echoed.
March 14, 2017
Appeal Court: Oba Olanipekun remains Ataoja of Osogbo

The Appeal Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital has ordered that the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun to remain in office.

It set aside the ruling of the Osun State High Court which held that the appointment and installation of the monarch was illegal.

The high court presided over by Justice Yinka Aderibigbe in 2011 sacked the traditional ruler, after faulting his nomination, selection, appointment and installation processes.

The kingmakers consequently approached the Appeal Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Justice Ambi-Usi Danjuma in his judgement Friday faulted the order made by the High Court setting aside the action of the kingmakers on the basis that having heard a motion challenging his jurisdiction before him, the lower court ought to have heard the motion first and since it did not hear it, it could not have made any subsequent order like the one he made in setting aside the action of the kingmakers.

The court ordered that Oba Olanipekun should continue to be in office as Ataoja of Osogbo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit at the high court.

In his reaction the lead counsel of the first and second respondents, Mr. Adewale Adegoke said his team would have to study the judgment before taking the next step.

” We have not got copies of the judgment, we have not studied them, until we read and studied them we will now decide whether we should explore the right of appeal to the Supreme Court or applied that the case file should be transferred to the high court for continuation of hearing in high court. ”

On the other hand, one of the counsels to the appellant, Mr. Gbadebo Adesina expressed delight over the judgment.

He said it was in the interest of justice stressing that “there is no winner, there is no loser, the people of Osogbo are winning collectively.”

July 22, 2016