OONI @ 50: Palace Unveils Programme Of Events

The Ile-Oodua Palace of The Ooni Of Ife, Ile-Ife has on Tuesday unveiled the final programme of the events celebrating and commemorating the 50th birthday anniversary of the Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, The Ooni Of Ife.

This second phase of the Ooni’s 50th birthday anniversary programme is contained in a statement signed by the Director of Media & Public Affairs to the Ooni, on behalf of the palace and the planning committee.

According to the statement, the second phase and final activities will kickstart on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, with a charity support programme organised by the Birthday Planning Committee at the Solid Rock Orphanage Home, Ibadan Road, Ile-Ife by 1pm.

Thursday, October 17th, 2024, will witness the birthday grand finale when His Imperial Majesty will be host top dignitaries including fellow traditional rulers, guests, family members and other personalities at the Ojaja Arena, Ife Grand Resort, Ile-Ife by 2pm.

The birthday activities will be rounded off with a Special Jumu’ah Prayer at the Ife Central Mosque Enuwa, Ile-Ife by 1pm. on Friday, October 18, 2024 as well as a Thanksgiving Service, at the St. paul’s Anglican Church, Aiyegbaju, Ile-Ife by 10am. on Sunday, October 20, 2024.

It will be recalled the 50th birthday anniversary of the Ooni had started a week ago with special traditional prayers (IWURE) offered by a league of over 30 traditional chief priests led by the Araba Agbaye and Obadio of Ife at the Ooni’s palace, this was followed by commissioning of The 2..7 kilometer road, equipped with solar-powered streetlights which Ooni Ogunwusi named after the Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi TINUBU and donated to the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

Also same day, a standard hostel complex OJAJA HOSTEL constructed by the Ooni was unveiled by the visiting wife of the President who was also double honoured by the Ooni with a Pavilion named Oluremi Tinubu Pavilion within the hostel complex on Thursday, October 10, 2024.

There have been series of activities of the first phase of the Ooni’s 50th birthday anniversary including the Maiden Convocation ceremonies of OJAJA University, Eyenkorin, Kwara state attended by top government functionaries including Governor Hope Uzodima of Imo state, eminent academic scholars, captains of industries and top Nigerian traditional rulers including Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar of Sokoto, Emir Zulu Gambari of Ilorin, Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Laoye, Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole and a host of others where Ooni Ogunwusi as Chancellor and proprietor of the university called for a holistic review of education policies to meet up with contemporary challenges of Nigeria.