Alara of Ilara To Celebrate 1st Enthronement Anniversary In Grand Style

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By Babatunde Kaka & Ronny Ikpoto

A retrospective look at his emergence a year ago could be said to be one of the best decisions made by kingmakers from the ancient town.

The Alara of Ilara kingdom, Eredo LCDA, Epe Division of Lagos State, Oba Dr Olukoyade Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, one of the few Royal kings of Lagos whose throne predates the 14th century, is set to celebrate his enthronement with week-long activities from Monday 16th-22nd August, 2021.

As gathered by Eko Hot Blog, some of the programs lined up for the week include cultural events such as Isese day, Aje traditional celebration, conferment of chieftain titles, empowerment programs and Jumaat service.

Others are Foundation laying of a hospital, coronation lecture, novelty football match, health walk, variety night, visit to the orphanage while the thanksgiving service and Grand-finale, a strictly-by-invitation affair will hold on the last day of the celebrations, in line with COVID-19 protocols.

Alara’s one year celebration on the throne has become a highly anticipated event, especially given the tremendous strides the monarch has made since assuming the throne of his forefathers.

Following the turn of the new millenium, “Vision 2020” became a theme song popularized by the government of the day. Having just embraced democratic rule, Nigeria was finally poised to live up to her potentials; hence, they (government) promoted the notion that by the year 2020 Nigeria would finally have dragged herself from beneath the rubble to become a 21st century economy.

While the vision 2020 dream hasn’t particularly been Nigeria’s reality; for the people of Ilara, this was certainly the case as the highly charismatic Oba Olufolarin Olukayode Ogunsanwo, having served his State meritoriously as a decorated public servant, was in August 2020 coronated as Telade IV, the Alara of Ilara Kingdom.

It is pertinent to recall that prequel to his installation as Alara Kingdom, there was the characteristic power tussle by certain blocs in the community who also registered vested interest in the vacant throne. The one thing that stood out during this time was the wisdom and sagacity of the town elders in resolving the conflict diplomatically to ensure the emergence of a monarch who has comprehensively made a difference in his one year as king.

A retrospective look at his emergence a year ago could be said to be one of the best decisions made by kingmakers from the ancient town. It is safe to say that his enthronement at a time when new and evolving paradigms continue dictate all spheres of human endeavour in many societies of the world, has allowed Ilara and Epe Division at large to lunge in on the fast-paced development across other parts of the globe.

His exemplary leadership, deep-rooted in his years of service to the Lagos State Government as a Public Servant, precisely a Tax specialist, has allowed him to get the best of both worlds (Traditional & Mordernity) and deploy this rich leadership acumen for the benefit of Epe Division.

In just one year in office, the charismatic monarch has brought Ilara into global reckoning, as evidenced by the visit of French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jerome Pasquier, who was full of praise for the immense tourism potentials of the community.

On a cultural level, Oba Ogunsanwo has also added verve to some of the traditional festivals indigenous to the people of Ilara, notably during this year’s Ebi Festival which was graced by Oonirisha himself, the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi.

Under his leadership, the phenomenon of ‘Omo Onile’ otherwise known as land grabbers has also been abated to the barest minimum, particularly due to his ‘hands on’ approach to eradicating this longstanding societal menace that has plagued the community for many years.

Alara of Ilara, Oba Olufolarin Olukayode Ogunsanwo.

More recently, Oba Ogunsanwo, while representing all the Royal Fathers in Epe Division at a Public Hearing organized by the Lagos State House of Assembly, made a passionate case for the siting of the proposed University of Education, Lagos (UNEDLAG) in Epe.

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Given his social and political clout, Oba Ogunsanwo has made it a call of duty to ensure that the wheel of progress and development is not spun to elude Epe Division of Lagos State, with all its incredible potentials.

Indeed, if Alara’s one year anniversary is a sneak-peek of what is to come for the people of Alara, then one can extrapolate without mincing words that the future certainly looks promising and pregnant with developmental strides that will redesign the social, economic, political, cultural and landscape of Ilara and Epe Division at large.

Ronny Ikpoto

Edidiong-Ronny Ikpoto holds a First Class degree in Media Studies. He shares a healthy enthusiasm for journalism, social & literary criticism, and creative writing.