The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has described the Elerinmo of Erinmo ijesa Oba (Dr) Michael Odunayo Ajayi Arowotawaya II as a pillar of the rich Yoruba culture who will not compromise his heritage for anything.
Oba Ogunwusi said this during the 2020 Agidanyin festival in Erinmo Ijesa in Osun State.
Ooni of Ife described the Agidanyin festival as one of the historical traditional festivals in Yoruba land stating that it signifies peace.
During the festival, the monarch blessed the ancient Erinmo Ijesa land with the release of the symbolic pigeons while calling on the indigenes and non-indigenes to support the Elerinmo in his step towards taking the town to greater heights.
Ooni arrived the ancient town of Erinmo in a grand style amidst pomp and pageantry, in a convoy of 32 vehicles, lauded the remarkable achievements of Oba Dr Michael Odunayo Ajayi Arowotawaya II, maintaining that his efforts in equipping libraries, organizing seminars for farmers, distribution of writing and other schooling materials to students are attestations that Oba Arowotawaya is God’s sent to Erinmo Ijesa.
Speaking during the festival, Elerinmo of Erinmo gave appreciation to God whom he said has been his guide so far.
According to the Elerinmo “the development of my people and my town are paramount, it cannot be compromised and I will never compromise it”.
Oba Ajayi described the Agidanyin festival as symbolic to Erinmo Ijesa noting that it is a festival of his ancestors that brings the bountiful harvest, improved economic and peace in the land.
The Elerinmo of Erinmo ijesa appreciated the Ooni for encouraging and promoting the Yoruba cultural heritage.
Appreciating God that his reign as the Elerinmo is recording a huge success, he prayed that the ancient town will witness further development.
He called on the youths to engage themselves in productive activities that will guarantee a better tomorrow for them.
The 2020 Agidanyin festival was graced by many traditional rulers from far and near, within and outside of the state.
Agidanyin Festival is celebrated in remembrance of the great Erinmo ancestor, Agidanyin, the son of Obalufon Alayemore (3rd and 5th Ooni of Ife in history) who founded Erinmo in 1100AD.
History has it that Agidanyin was a great and fearless warrior who participated actively in several wars especially the numerous inter-tribal wars at that time.
After Obalufon Alayemore installed his son Agidanyinmosa as the ruler of Erinmo Ijesa, known today as the ELERINMO, he also went ahead to found Efon and installed another son as Alaaye of Efon before returning to Ile-Ife to ascend the throne for the second time as the fifth Ooni of Ife.
The Agidanyin festival 2020 was spiced up with a buffet of activities and intervention programmes created to directly impactful on the people of Erinmo.
Some of these programmes include empowerment initiative sponsored by a non-governmental organisation, AnneGift Foundation which delivered over 200 modern agro equipment to farmers, welfare support and palliatives for widows, aged and physically challenged persons, commissioning of 2 new drilled modern boreholes and training of over 1000 community members on setting up small scale businesses.
Prayers were also offered for peace and progress of Erinmo and Oodua descendants with a crusade heralding the 3-day programme, special Jumat prayers and special church Thanksgiving to cap it.
Erinmo is regarded as the “land of spiritual mountains with cultural diversity”. The Festival and town whose mountains are said to be holy and spiritually sacred attract huge visitors from all over the world seeking and finding solutions to various problems.
See photos below:
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