Ojude Oba 2022: Abiodun reiterates commitment to revive, complete Olokola Deep Seaport
..As Gov Sanwoolu calls for Yoruba unity, drums support for Tinubu’s presidential aspiration
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun has reiterated his administration’s commitment to reviving the Olokola deep seaport project.
This, he noted is in line with the transport master plan of the incumbent state government.
Abiodun, who made this known while speaking at the 2022 Ojude Oba Festival, held in Ijebu Ode on Monday, gave the assurance that the project located in the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area would be completed and inaugurated by his administration.
The annual celebration of rich cultural heritage of the Ijebus which usually hold on the third day of Eid-el-kabir made a huge return yesterday after being suspended for two years due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Gov Abiodun said “let me formally announce the revival of the Olokola Deep Seaport in Ogun Waterside area of our state, this is in line with our transport master plan. And the promise I made to our people and our father, the Awujale, is that the port will be built in his lifetime and we will commission that deep sea port,” he said.
While noting that the theme of the festival, ‘The return of Ojude Oba’ is very apt considering that the festival was not celebrated in the last two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor said that the celebration of the 2022 festival was an opportunity to gather, pay homage to the monarch and plan ahead for the new year.
He noted further that it was imperative for every son and daughter of Ijebuland to take the opportunity of the festival to plan for the continued development of Ijebu-Ode, Ijebuland and the state, said that his administration would continue to put in place measures that would help to develop the tourism sector.
The governor restated that his administration would not develop any part of the state at the expense of the other, disclosing that his administration had been able to deliver over one thousand five hundred affordable housing units across the state, reconstructed over a thousand classrooms, renovated over a hundred primary healthcare centers out of the two hundred and thirty-six targeted.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the year 2022 Ojude Oba Festival and Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while noting that the festival has grown to become one of the most important cultural events not only in the state, but in the country, said that the festival has continued to be the unifying symbol which cuts across faith and tribes.
Sanwo-Olu commended his Ogun State counterpart for the great work done on the Ijebu-Ode-Epe expressway.
He also called for the unity of the Yoruba race as well as the support for the presidential bid of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2023.
“Let me make this rallying call on all sons and daughters of the Yoruba race to pronounce that in the unifying spirit of the Ojude Oba festival, it is my hope and belief that the entire Yoruba race will rise up and unite as one to ensure that the candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a proud Lagosian and Yoruba man is supported,” he said.
In his welcome address, the chairman, Planning Committee of the festival, Otunba Wahab Osinusi, thanked God for the return of the festival after a two year break.
He urged the people of Ijebuland to be mindful of the security challenges confronting the nation, remain calm, peaceful and law abiding throughout the duration of the festival.
