Ife Development Board, Group Commend Senator Omowoarare For Donation 12.5m For Completion Of Ife City Hall

The Ife Development Board has commended the Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Babajide Omoworare for donating a sum of N12. 5m for the completion of Ile-Ife City Hall.

Chairman of the Board, Prof. Muib Opeloye, who announced the Omoworare’s donation lauded the senator for taking the giant share for the completion of the hall.

Opeloye gave the commendation just as the Ile-Ife Progressive Youths described Omoworare as a philanthropist that has been contributing immensely to the development of the cradle of Yoruba race.

Coordinator of the group, Mr Samson Adedotun, said that he was not surprised when it was announced that Omoworare donated N12.5m to the completion of the Ife city hall, saying that the senator had for long been supporting the development of the city.

Adedotun, however, called on Omoworare not to relent on his efforts to develop his hometown and his social responsibilities, saying that history and posterity will surely be in his favour for generations.

He called on other Ife indigenes to emulate Omoworare and contribute to ancient city, saying that if everybody could be donating in history or her capacity, it would fasttrack the development of Ile-Ife.

Omoworare, who hails from Ile-Ife, is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business,

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has renamed the Ife hall after his predecessor, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

Speaking yesterday at the renaming of Ife City Hall, Oba Ogunwusi recalled his fond memory of the opportunity of meeting with the late Ooni.

The event which saw the three wives of the late Oba Sijuade making a public appearance within Ile Ife for the first time since the completion of his funeral rites in September last year, was also witnessed by the eldest son of the monarch, Prince Adetokunbo and some of his siblings.

Oba Ogunwusi said his predecessor played a major role in his becoming monarch through prayers, saying on few occasions he had opportunity of close interaction with Oba Sijuade, the late monarch in his prayers lauded his progress in life.

According to him: “Oba Sijuade is not just our revered father, he was a special creature and demonstrated his ability to foresee future on few occasions I had interaction with him. I can confidently say he played a role in my ascension.

“On those occasions, he usually prayed from his heart for me. The honour we are doing him today can never be at par with his contributions to the development of this land. His contributions to even this structure we are naming after him today was huge. Ife will continue to remember him for his great contributions to our development.”

Earlier, President, Ife Development Board, Prof. Muib Opeloye, said Oba Sijuade was being immortalised in recognition of the role he played in developments of Ife and empowerment of its people.

Opeloye recalled that the late monarch initiated the project and contributed immensely to seeing it to fruition.

Responding on behalf of Sijuade’s family, Prince Aderemi Sijuade, thanked the community for recognising the role Oba Sujuade played in putting Ife on world map and promised that the family would always be ready to contribute to the development of the town.

He said IDB was also using the occasion to honour some members of Ife Academia who had risen to the professorial cadre, explaining that in over 50 years of existence of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, no indigene of the community had been made a vice chancellor of the university