Ara agog as Oyetola presents staff of office to the New Alara

Ara, a community in Osun State went agog as the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola on Thursday presented the staff of office to the newly installed Alara of Ara Kingdom, Oba Dr. Olubayo Adesola Windapo, Oyelade Abidogun 1.  Oba Windapo was elected the 10th Alara of Ara by the kingmakers and officially appointed December 16, 2019. He was presented with the instrument of appointment amidst funfair and enthusiasm by sons and daughters of the ancient community.

Governor Oyetola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Abdulrasak Adeosun urged traditional rulers in their domestic domain to always support government efforts to develop rural communities across the state.

He said the state government recognized the monarch’s right to function as the Alara, saying the state being the cradle of Yoruba race revere its traditional institutions. “I urged the traditional ruler to partner the state government in mobilizing the citizens to support our efforts to make life better for the people. You should strive to foster and maintain communal peace and harmony”, he said.

The governor added that after ten years of interregnum, the new monarch deserved the peoples’ support to move the community forward. Ara would have lost many opportunities due to a decade of interregnum, I urge you all to cooperate with the monarch to return the ancient town to glorious path. And as the monarch, you are a father to all, I urged you to treat everyone with equity without any form of discrimination.

In his inaugural address, Oba Windapo said descendants of the town have resolved, by their show of love, to move the community forward. “Today, January 23, 2020 is a watershed in the history of today’s Ara for reasons of political emancipation and progress. All Ara descendants have therefore, resolved, by their show of love and support for this event, to take advantage of the God-given opportunity to move our town forward on the path of progress”.

“We will not allow ten years of no leadership, which has robbed us of incalculable mileage in infrastructural development and quality of life, to dampen our spirit. With our focus fixed in the field and our hands firmly on the plough, we will leave no one in doubt that we are here to recover the lost ground”, the monarch added.

Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of the planning committee, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi described the event as an historic day of freedom and abundance for Ara. He added that the community would embark on initiatives to be known as Development Agenda for Ara, a platform that would be an all-inclusive movement aimed at incorporating the support of every Ara sons and daughters, as well as individuals.

The event was graced by royal fathers, including, the representative of Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi represented by the Agbolu of Ife, Oba Adekunle Adebowale; Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal; Olu of Songbe, Oba Adepoju Hassan; Alayemore of Ido-Osun, Oba Adedapo Aderemi; Aragberi of Iragberi, Oba Dr. Funsho Agboade Makanju, Osunsoko I and the Alakija of Ikija-Ijebu, Oba Kayode Alakija among many others.