Ife Day 2022: Ooni hails Organising Committee
…Ife will soon become economic hub of Africa- IDB, Hon. Bamgbetan
By Jeleel Olawale
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Friday hailed the Organising committee chaired by Dr Yomi Layinka and other prominent indigenes. This includes Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspaper, Gbenga Adefaye, Lagos State former Information Commission Hon Kehinde Bamigbetan, Publisher, Nigerian NewsDirect Newspaper, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi, Former Commissioner of Police Awotinde, Ife Central Local Govt Chairman Hon Elugbaju Olayera and others on their roles as members of Ife Day 2022 Organising Committee in Ile Ife.
The event took place at Ife Resort Arena and Enuwa Square where all eminent Ife sons and daughters home and abroad gathered in an electrifying atmosphere to discuss Ife Vision 2050 as part of activities to celebrate Ife Day 2022.
Ooni who described them as true children of the soil, urging them to continue to contribute their wealth of experience to the development of Ile-Ife and not to forget home in all their activities.
Ooni Adeyeye also commended them for using their connections in the media to project the image of the ancient city in a good perspective.
Oba Adeyeye therefore called on all sons and daughters of Ile-Ife to always come home and contribute to the development of Ile-Ife.
The celebration also witnessed the “unveiling of IFEVISION 2050, where IFE DAY Magazine titled, “A Future Re-Imagined” was launched. A discussion titled, “The Source Discuss,” a cross-generational discussion on the place of Yoruba culture within global space. It is a youth discussion forum, a conversation among young people of Ile-Ife origin where cultural role of youth was discussed.
Speaking, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of Ife Day, Dr. Yomi Layinka described the celebration as the begining of new things in the history of Ile-Ife, saying the celebration comprised all and sundry of Ile-Ife irrespective of their religion.
Dr Layinka promised that the next Ife Day would be more fantastic than that, adding that this year’s Ife Day was a mission accomplished. He commended Ife indegines both home and in the diaspora for their contributions towards the development of Ile-Ife master plan for development.
He thanked the committee members and Ife Development Board for their efforts in making Ife first in the whole world.
In an interview with Nigerian NewsDirect, Hon. Kehinde Bamgbetan, said the 2022 Ife Day was unique being a community affair, in which the youth carnival is organised to feel the energy of the youths, to show that they have roles to play in community development. It is a carnival ever held in the history of Ife Day, using Brazilian concept which is colourful.
“Ife wants to position itself in a global arena to demonstrate that we are youth oriented. Anything you are doing and you are not involving the youths, it shows that you are not doing it well. The Ife Development Board which is holding Ife Day, is conscious of the youth and that is why we are doing what we are doing today.
“Ife Vision 2050, no community or organisation leaves its future to chance. We must plan, he who fails to plan, plans to fail. Planning is central to what you want to do in life. We can see the planning concept in our king, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in the area of developmental things he brought to Ife.”
Bamgbetan stressed that IDB is saddled with the responsibility of Ife development and there is no way it can carry the obligations unless it plans. The planning is of four major levels which include agriculture, mining, tourism, education and technology.
“These are the four pillars that will drive the economy of Ife in the next 30 years. We want to change the mentality of our people to provide better alternative and this is what we want to do.
“We want Ile-Ife to become economic hub of Africa in terms of mining and tourism. We are building capacity through some of the plans that we have. We are planning for economic growth of Ile-Ife. The vision 2050 is a challenge to the progress of Ile-Ife,” Bamgbetan said.
He said personal interest must not undermine the community interest, stressing the need for people to invest in Ile-Ife. This vision will provide employment for youths and raise the Gross Domestic Product of the environment. The over all vision is to achieve economic development.
He therefore urged people of Ile-Ife to wake-up, saying God has provided everything that the people need to survive and sustain themselves.
