Kunle ADELABU
-Committee, family, plan cemetery, mausoleum, landscape garden, others to honour late monarch
Plans have been concluded to organise an annual memorial lecture as part of the activities aimed at immortalising Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi, CON,the late Ayangbure of Ikorodu.
The inaugural edition of the lecture, which is themed, “The Notion of Omoluabi As Epitomized By His Royal Majesty Oba (Dr) Salaudeen Afolabi Adekoya Oyefusi”, is scheduled to hold at Ikorodu Musical Village, along Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikorodu, on Saturday, October 13, 2018.
The late monarch joined his ancestors in 2014.
A scholar of international repute, Professor Oladele Caleb Orimogunje, a scholar if international repute and a professor of Linguistics in the African Languages department of the University of Lagos, would deliver the lecture, while another scholar and dramatist, Dr Lekan Ishaq Balogun of the department of Creative Arts, also from University of Lagos, would give a drama presentation on the theme.
Otunba Rafiu Adewale, the Chairman, Planning Committee of the memorial lecture, speaking at the press conference organized to herald the lecture, stated that the essence of the lecture was to uphold the legacy of the late monarch and sustain his immense contributions towards the development of Ikorodu.
He revealed that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and his Ogun and Osun states counterparts, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, are among the guests that would be attending the event.
According to Otunba Adewale, revered royal fathers, including the reining Ayangbure of Ikorodu, HRM Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, would also be in attendance.
Stating other plans to immortalize the highly revered late monarch, Otunba Adewale stated that:
“In actualizing the above objectives coupled with the planned actions, the first project of the Foundation being established in memory of the late monarch is a Cemetery where Muslims, Christians and members of other religions would be buried.
“The Cemetery architectural design and concept presented by Architect Bayo Odusanya had been considered. The design include among others, a reception hall, Muslims and Christians burial sites, administrative offices, mausoleum and landscape gardens. This is is estimated at N500 millon”.
Also, as part of the programmes to immortalize the late monarch, the family and Ikorodu Muslim Community had inaugurated an annual Ramadan lecture/prayer after his demise four years ago