The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has called for the unity of Nigerians, saying that the continuous prosperity, growth and development of any society will be impossible if the people refuse to live in love and cooperate with their leaders.
He spoke on Friday at a programme held to celebrate the late Chief Tairu Olaleye, the grandfather of the immediate past High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Amb Safadeen Ishola, as the Hero of the Year for the annual Lisabi Festival.
According to Gbadebo, the annual Lisabi Festival is not only about celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Egba people but also a significant platform that helps unite the people and promotes selflessness and profound leadership qualities.
He noted that the contributions of the Hero of the Year 2024 Lisabi Festival, Chief Tairu Olaleye, to the development of Egbaland, could not be erased saying that the late Egba chief served the people diligently and deserved the posthumous award.
Alake added that the event served as a platform to celebrate achievements honour exemplary individuals and foster unity among Egba sons and daughters.
“We use Lisabi festival to promote selflessness, to promote leadership qualities in all Egba sons and daughters, to promote what we are known for. Education is our number one industry; to promote education and entrepreneurship.
“This year, we chose agric business, and we have had a series of lectures, bankers coming to tell us about what facilities are available to farmers and we have gotten so many Egba sons who have produced the equipment that so many of our children will need when they’re going into farming.
“We can truly achieve a lot in unity and cooperation. This is why I am calling on all of us irrespective of our tribes to be more interested in fostering unity and peace, not only in Egba land but across the country because the progress, prosperity, growth and development of any society lies in these ingredients of unity and peace”, the monarch said.
Tunji-Isola, the immediate past Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, reflected on his family’s pride in their heritage, with his grandfather being honoured.
He said, “Unity will achieve a lot in terms of having a common agenda for development. The essence thus, is to galvanise ourselves together and uplift Egbaland in terms of socio-economic issues, employment and other infrastructure because one thing that always brings development for any set of people is their unity of purpose and I am happy that we are getting that in Egbaland.”
The high point of the event was the presentation of a certificate in recognition of the late Chief Tairu Olaleye as the Lisabi Festival Hero of the Year, 2024.
Other royal fathers at the event were Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, the Osile of Oke-Ona Egba as well as Oba Saka Matemilola, the Olowu of Egba-Owu, among other dignitaries.
Lisabi Festival is an annual event held in March in commemoration of the legendary Lisabi Agbongbo Akala for his heroic exploits in securing freedom for the Egbas from the Oloyo.
The festival is to showcase and foster the virtues and values held by Lisabi to further develop the Egbaland and Ogun State.
The festival brings people from the entire Egbaland together in a spectacular display of pomp and pageantry.