Mariam Akinloye & Oyewumi Adebisi
After the successful outing at the Walk for Fitness on Saturday, to create awareness for this year’s lkorodu-Oga Day festival holding next month, with thousands of residents participating in the pre-event programme, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi and the Chairman, Ikorodu- Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Alhaji Kolawole Fatai, have said that the large crowd was just a tip of the iceberg regarding what to expect at this year’s mega Ikorodu Fanti and the 35th Ikorodu – Oga Carnival.
Both assured that Ikorodu will use this year’s edition to redefine carnival organization and tourism development in the state, while addressing the mammoth crowd that occupied the Ayangbure palace and the stretch of Ayangbure Road, a major expressway in Ikorodu, after walking round the Ikorodu township.
The walk for fitness is one of the pre-activities designed to create awareness for the annual Ikorodu- Oga Carnival, a state recognized festival which its 35th edition holds between 14th and 21st, 2026, and the second edition of the Ikorodu Fanti Carnival, which also received state government’s recognition a few weeks ago.
The Walk for fitness, which took off from the Ikorodu town hall, saw a large crowd, consisting executives and members IKODASS; IKODASS affiliated associations, clubs and societies; youth groups; political groups; Ikorodu Supporters Club; and professional bodies among others, turning out en masse to participate in the exciting event.
The walk terminated at the Ayangbure palace where participants engaged in aerobics and paid homage to the Ayangbure of Ikorodu.
Speaking with the press, Oba Shotobi thanked the residents of Ikorodu for their support always, emphasising that they have shown again how joyous and attached they are to their kingdom and heritage.
”It is not for me to tell you what is going on. Seeing is believing and you can see the posters; you can read between the lines, and you can see how joyous Ikorodu people are today. The joyous expression is what I want you to emphasised.
”What makes them happy is the unity that we have formulated in Ikorodu. We are one Aga, Ijomu, and Isele. What we are doing today is walk for fitness. Walk for fitness is being championed by Ikorodu Oga Development Association headed by the chairman”.
While commending the IKODASS Chairman and his team for their efforts which, according to him, has culminated into the large crowd and the success of the walk for fitness, Oba Shotobi stressed that Ikorodu is peaceful and its people are happy.
”Do you see any gunshot? Do you see any rascality among my people? They are peaceful and this has translated into peaceful co-existence within Ikorodu”.
The Royal, assuring of a bigger and better Fanti and Ikorodu-Oga Carnivals this year, said:
”You have not seen anything. By the time you come on the 14th of November, you will see wonders. You will see how Ikorodu is going to demonstrate the real Fanti. The real Fanti is going to be demonstrated. Come and see and witness it”.
Alhaji Kolawole Fatai, the IKODASS Chairman, also speaking, emphasised that Ikorodu people are united and also pledged a wonderful and spectacular outing this year.
”What we witnessed today is just an awareness campaign that the Ikorodu-Oga 35th edition will be coming up as from November 14th – 21st of this year.
”And as you can see, the unity in Ikorodu is what we have demonstrated today. We are inviting people from other parts of the state and outside to come around to watch Aga, Ijomu, and Isele performances at the Fanti.
” We want to show the whole Lagos that Ikorodu can be better when it comes to Fanti. This is just an awareness campaign and you can see that the turn out is en masse. This is to tell you that Ikorodu stands for unity. We are now united and we speak with one voice and we are going to deliver”.
He emphasised that Ikorodu people will showcase their cultural heritage during the celebration and assured visitors of massive and memorable outing.
”Ikorodu is known for heritage, and we are known for our culture and we are proud of it. I want everybody to be around this year, to come and watch Ikorodu- Oga, especially the Fanti carnival. What you have seen today is just a tip of the iceberg, something huge is coming.
*Kudos to the press, Kudos to all the people that came out today. Ikorodu Oga, Ajuse”, Alhaji Fatai said.
