Home / Announcement / 26th January 2021: 15th Years Memorial Anniversary Of His Imperial Majesty, Late Oba (Dr.) Festus Ibidapo Adedinsewo Adesanoye, ‘CFR’, OSUNGBEDELOLA II, 43rd Osemawe And Paramount Ruler Of Ondo Kingdom, 1991 – 2006

26th January 2021: 15th Years Memorial Anniversary Of His Imperial Majesty, Late Oba (Dr.) Festus Ibidapo Adedinsewo Adesanoye, ‘CFR’, OSUNGBEDELOLA II, 43rd Osemawe And Paramount Ruler Of Ondo Kingdom, 1991 – 2006

We reasonably acknowledged that human beings are not meant to be perfect. Words are not enough to describe your good legacy which no one will ever surpass in many decades of our generation or beyond. Although the Osemawe throne did not make you what became in life, but your unbeatable record of philanthropist and enthusiasm with ever ready spirit to assist everyone with your position and influence that will enhance their dreams to come true in life. You have indeed helped thousands in this direction among Ondo indigenes, Ondo State, Yorubaland and the multitude of Nigerian citizens that benefited from your vast charismatic leadership, since your stint in the Federal Civil Service, especially during your glorious moment in the Defence Ministry and Cabinet Office of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Your quality and dynamic record as Chairman of the First Bank of Nigeria Plc will forever remain an indelible memory, where you were formally invited to ascend the throne as 43rd Osemawe and Paramount Ruler of Ondo Kingdom in 1991.

Your Imperial Majesty, Oba Adesanoye, there are no iota of doubt that you actually used your meticulous position in the past to influence the establishment of the defunct Nigeria Romanian Wood Industry (NIROWI), defunct Federal School of Arts and Science, National Institute For Educational Planning And Administration (NIEPA), Wesley University (Methodist Missionary Institution), an investment in private industries to create job opportunities such as Famak Motors Limited, Stanmark Cocoa Processing Company Limited, Ekimogun Community Bank (Microfinance) with many others that are sited within the geographical area of Ondo Town. After fifteen years of your demise, we are extremely proud to register it on record with the greatest honour that despite been highly influential with powerful connection, you did not use our Indigenous Community Association Account as your own private fund.

The entire Ondo populace cried foul in your absence. It is very ridiculous that we are properly briefed about the donation of thirty six thousand dollars ($36,000.00USD, currently equivalent to #15,000,000.00k – Fifteen million naira), by Ondo indigenes that resides in the United States of America in the year 2015 meant for community development projects which were recklessly misappropriated. We are also made aware of the publicly announced ten million naira (#10,000,000.00k) donation in the year 2016 by a business mogul to support Ondo Community developmental projects, which an incompetent and disastrous opportunist forcefully converted to a personal gift with fictitious claim to have been donated by their personal invitee. In addition, the event organisers regularly pocket between 10% and 40% commission of the total value donations realised from their own personal invitees to the same annual festival. We must put it on record about the squandered over one hundred million naira (#100,000,000.00k) invested on an ordinary Radio Broadcasting Station as mentioned in the community project report with no credible value. The bogus expenditure was over 90% higher when compared to the contemporary record of other FM Licence Radio Broadcasting Service Station within the same Town which is highly bizarre.

To end this glowing tribute, Kabiyesi Oba Adesanoye, the history will always graciously rekindle your name with a golden landmark for strong monumental project efforts, where you invested a large quantity of your personal wealth for the development of Ondo Town and its Metropolis. It is worthy to mention your huge financial commitment towards our edifice Ondo Civic Centre which was immortalised in your name. The donation of a befitting multi million naira extant Osemawe Palace without any fundraising in 1994 for the use of Ondo Community as a whole, also speaks volumes about your sincere love for our heritage. We cannot quantify your indiscriminate generosity as a cheerful giver with your educational scholarship award to support the poor masses, which you have magnificently demonstrated to everyone who is blessed to meet with you face to face during your lifetime.

There is nothing that lasts forever, irrespective of any position that we temporarily serve as an incumbent as history and posterity will judge everyone of us after our transition to the World beyond. We must be conscious of our transient lives as we are all impermanent beings on this earth. The World is a stage and we are the actors, whereby we leave the stage one by one when the curtain is drawn. This is a continuous process from one existence to another. As I have said it before and I quote from that source: “We are convinced that in the interest of our shared heritage, there would be a genuine reason for everyone of us to lower the high decibel tune of the music to zero level. Let us jointly withdraw an unnecessary and unwarranted rescript from the history of Ondo Kingdom because it is a complete staccato of cacophonous noises, though full of fire fury that signify nothing.”

SPECIAL TRIBUTE: Orun rere o Kabiyesi Alaiyeluwa, Omo Bam Adesanoye Adedinsewo, Omo Yei Olayimide Adesanoye – Nee Akinlami, Omo Oba Leyo, Omo Oba Osungbedelola, Omo Oba Odunola Ojagodolokun – O’ne n’ejo do ba Orun e wi, Omo Oba Ademeso Aroworayi, Abaiye, Ikulase, Ugbagbamola, Otoileke ba won fe obinrin Oyo, Ediako Lumpa, Luwami Apewaiko, Luwami Adunmila, Luwami Ajalaiye, O Soko Ekiti Soko Akoko, Ajiwajiwa Ileke, Ugbakeji Orisa, Opo ati Imole. Suure o Kabiyesi, I’a Okedesa, I’a Odotu. Dede Ondo se leede ni eyin e o … Hen hen hen, Abaiye o o o o!!!

May the gentle and humble soul of Kabiyesi, Oba Festus Ibidapo Adesanoye continue to rest in perfect peace …. Loud Amen.

Omo rere a gbeyin gbogbo wa o … Amin.

Authored By:
Otunba Damilola Oladimeji POH, ECHGA, GIOU
(Ojo Gbogbo Bi Odun ‘II’)
Ekimogun Cultural Heritage Global Ambassador
Leyo Ruling House – Ondo Kingdom
‘Omo Oba Odunola Ojagodolokun: O’ne n’ejo do ba Orun e wi’

About Otunba Damilola

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