By Sunday Ani
The Ooni of Ife and Adimula of Yorubaland, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, has conferred on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and his wife, the chieftaincy titles of Agba Akin and Yeye Agba Akin, respectively.
The event, which happened on Thursday at the first anniversary of the enthronement of the Alara of Ilara Kingdom, Epe Area of Lagos State, Oba Olufolarin Olukayode Ogunsanwo, Telade IV, also witnessed the coronation of Mr. Folorunsho Folarin Coker and JK Olayemi as Baba Eto, and Asoju Oba of the kingdom, respectively.
Vice chairman of the Oyo State Council of Oba and Chiefs, and Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, represented the Ooni at the event, which was also preceded by the launching of Aje Festival in Ilara-Epe
Presenting the crowns, staff and certificates to the newly installed chiefs, Oba Ogunsanwo, urged them to continue to be good ambassadors of the kingdom, and by extension, the entire Yorubaland.
He promised to continue doing his best for the community by working hard to sustain the rich Yoruba culture, as well as bringing development to the kingdom. He added that the Ilara community would soon be transformed with his pet project, “AGAPE,” and called on the people and other stakeholders to support him to move the community forward. He also thanked the Ooni of Ife for his leadership role in Yorubaland over the years.
The conferment of Baba Eto of Ilara Kingdom on Coker was remarkable because he stepped into the shoes of his father, late Chief Nathaniel Folarin-Coker, who was also the Baba Eto of Ilara Kingdom.
Like his father, who was an accomplished public servant, he also serves currently as the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC); a development that aptly corroborates the12th Century English poet and writer, William Langland’s popular phrase, “Like father like son: Every good tree maketh good fruits.”
Extolling Coker’s virtues as he stepped into the podium with his wife, the Alara described him as a true son of Oodua, a man of the people, and a man who devotes his time and energy to the service of his family, state, country and royalty. He also thanked Coker for taking care of his mother and other members of his family.
Ooni’s representative equally described him as the Baba Eto of The Source.
Coker’s mother thanked Alara for the honour bestowed on his son, even as she expressed gratitude to her son for taking good care of her and other members of the family.
The coronation of Coker, who is also a socialite, philanthropist and public servant par excellence, attracted crème-de-la-crème of the society, including top government functionaries, families, friends, and well wishers, as well as residents of the community.
The high point of the event was the decoration of Coker with the traditional beads, the chieftaincy leaf (Akoko) and cap by an Oba from Ijebu land, Ogun State.
Another high point of the event was the joyous and lively mood created by the sonorous and ‘danceable’ music of Ayo Ajekigbe of Faith Music, who also sang Coker’s praises to high heavens.
As a public servant, he has served in various capacities, such as Personal Assistant to former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Tinubu, former Managing Director Lagos State Number Plates Production Agency, and former Special Adviser to former Governor Babatunde Raji shola on the Central Business Districts of Lagos, among others.