Residents of Ilese-Ijebu, a sprawling community in the Ogun East Senatorial District were ecstatic for seven days as indigenes from all walks of life returned to mark its yearly carnival. The festivity was a platform for the indigenes to see their Oba-elect, 21 years after the traditional stool became vacant, reports WALE AJETUNMOBI
Culture and modernism are interdependent forces shaping human evolution and civilisation. They play vital roles in the development of any society. Both can stifle development when they play out as contradicting values. They also make society to flourish when they are deployed to the progress of the society.
This literally summarised the 12th Convocation of Ilese-Ijebu people, which is otherwise known as Ilese-IJebu Day. The week-long event, held from August 7 to 13, was a fusion of culture and modernism, which profiles the town’s rich heritage and its quest for modernity without sacrificing its cherished cultural values.
Ilese, a sprawling settlement located in the East of Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, is a town with a rich history, tradition and culture. At its borderline with Ijebu-Ode is an expansive military settlement, Sappers Barracks, which makes Ilese the most secured town in Ogun East Senatorial District.
The town also hosts the College of Health Technology, a state-owned tertiary institution reputed for its knowledge-base in health technology. The presence of these facilities is regarded as catalysts for the town’s rapid modernisation.
For Ilese indigenes, the town’s development is a work in progress and a collective task for every family. For many years, keeping the pace of the town’s development rested squarely on the strength of its indigenes. This is because Ilese, until recently, did not have a constituted traditional institution that could champion its progress.
Its last monarch died more than two decades ago, leaving the responsibility of physical development of the town to Ilese Development Council (IDC)–a group of professionals and highly-connected indigenes.
From all walks of life, indigenes of Ilese returned to the town to celebrate this year’s Ilese Day. For seven days, the town bubbled, witnessing a crowd of revellers staging road shows and carnivals in every nook and cranny of the community. They clad in colourful aso ebi and moved round the town in celebration. Some engaged in outdoor dance shows.
The Ilese carnival, for its indigenes, is not just a festivity; it is a celebration of the town’s achievements in diverse areas, including physical development, cultural preservation, youth development and unity.
This festival began on Sunday with a church service at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Residents gathered in the expansive church auditorium for thanksgiving to God for the unity and progress witnessed in the community. The church service was followed by a football match organised for the youth to promote peace and friendship among them.
Children and babies were not left out in the carnival. They also participate in fun shows held at the imposing Ilese Town Hall.
Concerned about the health and well-being of the populace, Centre for Alternative Development and Self Enhancement (CEADESE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), partnered with IDC to organise a free medical outreach for the residents.
Indigenes trooped to the Town Hall to receive free test and treatment for various ailments, including malaria and typhoid. There were also free eye tests, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure check-up.
In promoting education and knowledge among the youth, IDC organised a quiz contest for students. Many youths had the opportunity to participate in the contest, which was held at the Town Hall. Winners were rewarded with cash prizes and scholarship.
The quiz was followed by Enterprise Development Seminar to educate unemployed residents and youths on how to obtain bank loans to begin or develop their businesses. The workshop was organised by the community-based Catland Micro-finance Bank.
On Friday, the town’s troupe entertained indigenes and guests with Woro traditional dance. The expansive town hall literally erupted in excitement as members of the troupe thrilled some indigenes who were attending the event for the first time with their artistic dance displays.
At 1:00 p.m., residents flocked to the Ilese Central Mosque for a special Jumat prayer to mark the annual festivity. The mosque auditorium was filled to its capacity, as residents turned out in their colourful attire to pray for peace, unity and progress of the town.
In the evening, they returned to the town hall for a cooking contest, which had 11 contestants selected to prepare Ikokore–Ijebu’s local delicacy made of smashed yam. The contestants were provided with ingredients and cooking materials to prepare the local food and serve in separate dishes.
The panel of judges, led by Hon. Segun Ogunkoya, assessed the Ikokore meal made by each contestant.
Speaking on the criteria for picking the winners, Ogunkoya said a well-prepared Ikokore must have a blend of tastes of all ingredients used in making it. Smoke, he said, must not be perceived in the food.
At the end of the contest, Ms Abiodun Temitope was picked as the winner of the food contest. She received a giant-size gas cooker. Monsurah Badejo and Adekunle Babatunde were the first and second runners up respectively. They were rewarded with power generating set and electric fan respectively.
After the Ikokore cooking challenge, the stage was set for a beauty pageant held at the same venue. All the 14 contestants were Ilese indigenes studying in different higher institutions. But, the contest was clearly between students of the Ilese-based College of Health Technology and Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye.
The hall became animated when the contestants filed out to showcase their beauty. Members of the audience roared in excitement as the girls moved round the podium in measured steps, dancing to the tunes of various genre of music.
It was not a contest for beauty alone. For a town with rich history, preserving the Ilese culture and heritage was prominent during the contest. The contestants’ knowledge of Ilese history and their intelligence were put to test. Their knowledge of current affairs was also assessed.
Oluwafunmi Ayeni Imoleayo, a graduate of College of Health Technology, dazzled the audience with her deep knowledge of the town’s history and current affairs. She beat 13 other contestants to win the beauty pageant which prize was a new Nissan Primera car.
The first and second runners up were Abiodun Balogun Omolade Osoteku, student of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), and a post-graduate student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
On Saturday, the indigenes flocked to the field of Muslim Primary School for the grand finale of the carnival. The guests at the colourful event included traditional rulers and high chiefs from neighbouring towns, who turned out in their flamboyant royal regalia.
For the incoming Ilese monarch, Prince Oluremi Owolabi Obayomi, it was his first public appearance after he was elected as Elese of Ilese by the kingmakers. This came 21 years after the death of the previous king.
Obayomi used the opportunity to present his programmes to the people. He extended a hand of fellowship to his challengers to the throne.
The Elese-elect said the unity among indigenes was his priority, noting that the struggle for the selection of Elese pitted some families against others. He promised to carry everyone along in the running of the town’s affairs.
He said: “This is the time for unity. I have heard people saying I would be a king for the Christians. I want to make it clear to all that I will be a king for all residents, irrespective of their religious leaning. I promise I will not disappoint the confidence reposed in me. But, I crave the support of everybody, old and young, to move our town to the next level.”
In his goodwill message, the IDC chairman, Otunba Segun Demuren, said the yearly event was to foster unity and development in the town. He said the IDC had delivered its promise to make Ilese the headquarters of the newly-created Yemoji Local Council Development Area.
The goodwill speeches were followed by colourful parade and stunts by youth groups, that competed for trophy. The groups of revellers entertained the audience with their intrepid displays, which lasted for 30 minutes each. Purple House carried the day, winning the coveted trophy.
The highpoint was the presentation of car to Oluwafunmi, the winner of the beauty pageant. She was also crowned as Ilese Beauty Queen. She will reign till August next year when another beauty queen will be crowned.
The indigenes used the occasion to present merit awards to non-indigenes in recognition of their contributions to the development, unity and peace in the town. A clergyman, Reverend Adeleke Adeyemi, former Vicar of St. Paul’s Church in Ilese, was honoured for promoting social and religious harmony in the town.
Also, Commanding Officer of 12 Field Engineering Regiment, Sappers Barracks, was honoured for protecting the town from activities of criminals.
