There was funfair in Omu- Aran local government area of Kwara state when the new Olomu of Omu- Aran was coronated.

OLADIPO MAGAJI reports. The ancient town of Omu- Aran in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state was thrown into a frenzy when the new monarch of the town, Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti was coronated.

The new Olomu of Omu-Aran, Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti was until his appointment Executive Director, Kwara State Town and Development Authority.

The colorful coronation of the new Olomu of Omu-Aran was held on Saturday, September 22, 2018. Oladele becomes the 27th traditional ruler to occupy the exotic traditional stool of the Olomu of Omu-Aran. Adeoti who hails from Olaelu/ Ijoko ruling house in the community was the Kingmakers nominee forwarded to the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Area for onward transmission to the State government for approval to occupy the vacant throne.

The Kingmakers nomination followed the conclusion of succession processes embarked upon after the demise of the last occupant of the seat, Oba Charles Oladele Ibitoye who had joined his ancestors on Nov. 30, 2017 after a brief illness at the age of 64. Adeoti’s nomination was subsequently approved by the State Governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed through a letter signed by the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Saidu Abeeb who later presented the new Olomu with a letter of appointment in his office, thus setting the stage for his coronation.

Prior to this approval there was the urgent need for the community to quickly fill some important vacant traditional titles and positions which according to customary demand are expected to play crucial roles toward the coronation of the new Olomu.

Some of the traditional titles which were filled prior to Olomu coronation included, the position of Asanlu-Aran of Omu-Aran, occupied by Chief Kola Fabiyi, the Olukose of Omu-Aran, occupied by Chief Ganiyu Olabola, the Oluju of Omu-Aran, occupied by Chief moh. Jamiu Abdulsalam and most of important of all, the Eesa of Omu-Aran, occupied by a former Executive Director, Marketing, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Chief Jide Olaniyi Adebayo.

Having done all the traditional and customary necessities including securing the approval of the authority, the kingmakers and the Olomu-In-Council in collaboration with members of Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA) met and fixed Saturday September 22, 2018 as the coronation day for the new monarch.

There and then a one-time Military Administrator of Bauchi and Osun States, Col. Theophilus Bamigboye was named as the Chairman of a 30-Man Coronation Committee. While the committee had swung into action to put up a coronation ceremony befitting of a first class status of Oba Adeoti it was also a mandatory custom and tradition in the community for a new Olomu to enter into a seven days seclusion in the house of high Chief Eesa who after the expiration of the period would then present the Olomu-elect to the community and for the coronation proper to be performed at the palace of Olomu.

This was why Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti had on Saturday September 15, with his entourage of family members, friends and associates stormed Omu-Aran from Ilorin to commence the said seven days seclusion process. Adeoti was received with pomp and pageantry by the people of the community, both old and young at the Omu-Aran Motor Park, an entrance to the town and was ushered into the hands of the members of the Olomu-In-Council whom with the Olomu-elect drove round the community before ending the procession at the Ijoko family quarters of the new monarch.

The Olomu-elect was on the same day led to the house of Chief Jide Olaniyi Adebayo who is the new Eesa by members of the council known as the Ologuns where several traditional rites as demanded by the throne were duly performed. The Olomu-elect was accompanied from the house of Eesa on the early morning of the eight day of the seclusion to the palace of Eesa located at Afin quarters in preparation for the coronation proper at the Olomu’s Palace Ajewo.

Having completed some necessary customary rites, the Olomu’s procession with the Olomu-In-Council, amidst drumming, singing moved from Eesa’s palace through the town to the palace of the Olomu where large number of visitors including traditional rulers, government functionaries, religious leaders, politicians, friends and associates of the new Olomu are already seated for the programme to commence. Prayers from both Islamic and Christian clerics were offered for a peaceful and successful reign for the new Olomu, the community, the state and the country at large.

A traditional installation and coronation rites was performed by Chief Abdulazeez Adeniyi, the Chief Oluponna of Omu-Aran after which people from different compounds across the town were recognised and came out in their numbers to show their appreciation toward the coronation. Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo, the chairman of Irepodun LGA had in a welcome address praised the kingmakers, the Olomu-In-Council and members of the ODA for their wisdom and foresight toward a transparent and rancour free succession and coronation of the new Olomu.

He expressed the community’s appreciation to the state government for giving the approval for Adeoti to emerge as the new Olomu of Omu-Aran. Oladipo urged the people of the community including the indigenes and non-indegenes to imbibe tolerance and peaceful co-existence in order to move the community forward. Chief Bisi Adeyemi, ODA President on his part called for stakeholders support for the new monarch to assist perform creditably well in his traditional assignment.

He pledged the association’s support to the monarch and the entire Olomu-In-Council in ensuring the growth, progress and development of the community. Chief Adebayo, the Eesa of Omu-Aran while officially presenting the new Olomu to the community, called for the support of the people for more developments and Landmark achievements to flourish within the community doing his reign.

He described the coronation of the new Olomu as an historical and unprecedented traditional legacy that would be remember ed for a very long time. Oba Adeoti, in his own address thanked the Kingmakers and other stakeholders for considering him worthy of such elevation.

The monarch while expressing his appreciation to the state government also called for more government establishment to boost trade, commercial and business activities within the community.

He said the demand for more developmental projects was informed by the high level of expansion and infrastructural development going in the community. According to him, presently, the growth pattern is beyond what can be termed as just urban centre. “It would not be an exaggeration to say that Omu – Aran’s physical expansion is already engulfing its immediate adjoining settlements and turning it to what can be termed as Urban Conurbation. “Omu-Aran as an emerging Urban Centre has an approximate population of about 150,000 people and unarguably the third largest settlement in Kwara State.

“Expectedly, therefore, High Order Services ought to be available for the population living in and around Omu-Aran. “Given its population and its potentials for growth Omu -Aran has a threshold population that can support the provision of specialized services like University, Specialist Hospital, Ultra – modern market and Fire services station among others,” he said.

The Olomu-elect, Oba Alhaji Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti, who hails from Olomu-Efon ruling house, was born on Sept. 22 1956 into the family of Malam and Mrs Yusuf Amuda Adeoti Awoyinka of Ijoko compound, Omu-Aran. He attended Saint Paul’s Anglican School Omu-Aran and Government Secondary School, Ilorin for his primary and secondary education respectively. Adeoti proceeded to the famous Kaduna Polytechnic, where he obtained his O.N.D., H.N.D. and P.G.D. in Urban and Regional Planning. He also obtained M.Sc. in Environmental Management. His work experience commenced with the Kwara State Housing Corporation.

He also worked with Kwara State Ministry of Works, Lands and Survey, the Ministry of Lands and Housing, and the Kwara State Town Planning and Development Authority. He served and rose through the ranks to become the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive of the Town Planning and Development Authority for two terms before he voluntarily withdrew his service in May 2018.


http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/excitement-at-installation-of-new-olomu.html