Good times are here for the good people of Ipakodo community, a town which can literally be referred to as a sleeping town due to the 19 years vacuum occasioned by the protracted Obaship tussle among ruling houses in the community.
The coronation of Oba Bashir Aremu Sotonwa as the Sekumade of Ipakodo on February 1st, 2018 signified a new dawn in the community.
Barely a year after his coronation, Oba Bashir Aremu Sotonwa has inaugurated the Ipakodo Development Association (I.D.A), an umbrella body to all social clubs, youth groups and trade associations in the community. The body has been saddled with the responsibility of driving developmental programmes and agenda for the community.
Speaking at the inauguration, Oba Sotonwa stressed that, ‘myself and the good people of Ipakodo have put the past behind us and have decided to forge a common front towards moving our community forward and positioning it as a force to reckon with among comity of progressive communities in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
‘In view of the above and as part of my pre-first year coronation anniversary event, we are here today to formally inaugurate the Ipakodo Development Association (I.D.A) as the body responsible for advancing development programmes and projects on behalf of Ipakodo community’, he said.
The monarch added that, ‘to hit the ground running, the body has taken up the task of resuscitating our age-long ‘Oke-Odo’ Easter picnic, as a way of fostering peaceful co-existence among our growing population, while also restoring our community’s tourism potentials. Ipakodo is blessed with massive natural water resources and we intend to leverage on this to make Ipakodo a recognized tourist destination in Lagos State, he stated.
Speaking earlier, Princess Jumoke Ademehin-Jimbo, the Executive Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA commended Oba Sotonwa for the initiative to restore the tourism potential of Ipakodo community. She pledged her support both in personal and official capacity to ensure the success of the newly inaugurated IDA and the plan to reposition the annual Oke-Odo’ Easter picnic, now re-christened Ipakodo Easter Carnival as a tourist event.
Earlier, in his address, Prince Olasunkanmi Shotonwa, Chairman of the newly inaugurated I.D.A noted that the inauguration of the I.D.A was ‘in line with the practices among progressive communities, we have the blessings of our dear Kabiyesi, Oba Bashir Aremu Sotonwa, (Osomeku 1), The Sekumade of Ipakodo to start our development association, to be known as Ipakodo Development Association (IDA)’.
Giving a clue into the mandate of the body, Prince Shotonwa disclosed that I.D.A ‘sees the future of this historic town with a view to harness resources both human and material for the development of her younger generations. We seek cooperation of all youth elements in the town to achieve our desired goals. Thus, all youth organizations too numerous to mention in this short address are enjoined to please register with this umbrella Association’.
‘In the fullness of time, a website and other social media handles will be created to showcase the history of the town, her growth and development, resources and goals. We will expect contributions from everyone to enable us create a robust website that will be the pride of all the people of Ipakodo home and abroad’, he added.
He stressed that the Ipakodo Development Association was open to all sons, daughters, residents, social clubs, CDAs, trade groups and associations operating within Ipakodo community who are committed to her development.
To demonstrate the body’s readiness and commitment to its development mandate, I.D.A has announced the resuscitation of the age-long Oke-Odo Easter picnic during the forthcoming 2019 Easter Monday.
He added that the Oke-odo Easter Picnic, has now been re-christened Ipakodo Easter Carnival to be held at Ipakodo Ferry Terminal in Ikorodu West LCDA as a century-long platform for families across Ikorodu division to unwind and celebrate the Easter season.
Justifying the reason behind the need to resuscitate the Easter picnic event, Sotonwa disclosed that the population of Ipakodo division has increased almost ten times more than the population in the 80s and 90s. ‘We now have a good problem as a division- there is absolutely nowhere to unwind and host family picnics during the Easter season. While some residents who can afford it go out of Ikorodu and Ipakodo during the Easter holiday, others who could not afford the luxury stay indoors out of frustration’, he noted.
As a responsible community development association, we are passionate about the need to revamp this age-long event and to position it as a tourism heritage of the Ipakodo community as a way of attracting visitors to Ipakodo during the annual Easter holiday.
He further stated that the revamping of the ‘Oke Odo’ Easter Family Picnic was in tandem with the policy thrust of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to adopt tourism as one of the cardinal focus of his administration. Hence, the Ipakodo Easter Carnival will further position Ipakodo as one of Lagos’ tourist destinations, thereby boosting economic activities within the community and the LCDA at large’.
He concluded by inviting all sons, daughters, residents and well-wishers of Ipakodo community at home and in diaspora to join Kabiyesi, Oba Bashir Aremu Sotonwa, (Osomeku 1), The Sekumade of Ipakodo at this year’s Ipakodo Easter Carnival on Monday, April 22nd, 2019 at the Ipakodo Ferry Terminal, beside NPA Terminal.
Oba Sotonwa also seized the opportunity to formally present the interim executive members of the I.D.A to the Chiefs, Baales, Youths and residents of Ipakodo who attended the historic inauguration.
The monarch charged the executive to perform wonder by making their first outing of organizing Ipakodo Easter Carnival a peaceful and successful event.
Speaking on behalf of the new I.D.A executive, Omo’ba ’Peju Akinyemi, General Secretary I.D.A and Founder / CEO, Ikorodu Oga Radio assured the monarch that the I.D.A executive will replicate the confidence reposed in them by staging a successful carnival.
See the list of the newly inaugurated I.D.A executive members below;
Prince Olasunkanmi Shotonwa- Chairman, Dr Taiwo Hassan Jimbo – Vice Chairman Omo’ba ’Peju Akinyemi- General Secretary, Hon. Olayiwola Atoloye – Asst General Secretary and Prince Adesegun Ogundeji – Director of Publicity. Others are Prince Musiliu Animashaun – Treasurer, Prince Kehinde Jimbo – Financial Secretary, Dr Abiodun Ababtan – Youth Representative and Prince Musibau Animashaun – Ex-Officio.