Obaagun celebrates 2022 Afaigun N Pemi festival in grand Style
Obaagun, an ancient town in Ifelodun local government area of Osun state witnessed tumultuous gathering of citizens of the town both at home and in the diaspora who came to celebrate the annual “Afaigun n pemi’ festival.
The event, which comes up every second day of ileya festival serves as an assembly of indigenes of Obaagun from all walks of life who usually see the day as a rallying point to fraternize and exchange pleasantries with one another.
It is fashioned after the famous Ojude Oba festival of the Ijebus where the Olobaagun of Obaagun, Oba Jimoh Adebisi Okunade, Kayode the second is always on ground and flanked by his beautifully dressed Oloris, together with high High Chiefs drawn from all the 18 officially recognized compounds in Obaagun.
To the young and old sons and daughters of Obaagun, it is an opportunity to socialize as different musicians who are all indigenes of Obaagun were on ground to entertain everyone with different genre of musics to the admiration of everybody, including non indigenes from neighboring towns like Ikirun, Iragbiji, Ada, Iree, Iba,Oba, Inisa, Okuku among others.
Speaking at the event, which was also attended by the Oluomo and Yeye Oluomo of Obaagun land Chief and Chief Mrs Ganiyu and Rafatu Makanjuola who came from the USA, President, Obaagun Development Union ,(O.D.U), Barrister Kayode Olowolagba enjoined sons and daughters of the town to contribute their quotas to the progress of the town.
Olowolagba told the gathering
“My fellow good people of Obaagun, I congratulate you for witnessing another year. I want to remind us all that what should be paramount to us is how to make our town great. Let’s all continue to work together harmoniously and make the town our first priority wherever we go.
Obaagun is our own Mecca and Medina. Obaagun is also our own Jerusalem. We must at all times be conscious of the fact posterity will not forget us in all that we do and say for its growth and development all the time.
“Therefore, I admonish you to continue to do your best to bring out the best in you for the overall best of Obaagun land.
“Let’s keep the ball rolling please”
Also speaking, the US based medical expert and the Oluomo of Obaagun land,Chief Ganiyu Makanjuola who over the years has been following the programme in diaspora told newsmen that he and his wife,the YeyeOluomo of Obaagun land, Chief Mrs Rafatu Makanjuola specifically flew in from US to Nigeria to be part of the fiesta .
The Oluomo said in his over 70 years of existence on earth, there was never an occasion as a rallying point of the people of Obaagun as exemplified by the array of who is who of Obaagun origin that assembled at the palace square , Obaagun all for the purpose of AFAIGUN N PEMI.
Just like other speakers, Chief Makanjuola also alluded to the need for all all sons and daughters of Obaagun to always think of doing things,tangibly and intangibly, for the overall development of Obaagun.
The Oluomo said ” It is a thing of joy to be back home during this Eid El Kabir to be part of AFAIGUN N PEMI.
“I must be frank with you, this is a marvellously organised programme. It is nice and commendable beyond saying.
“Even in U.S where I am based, a rallying get together like this usually go a long way in entrenching strong love, unity , friendliness and camaraderie .
” I am glad and elated to be back home (Obaagun) my ancestral root just for the sake of witnessing AFAIGUN N PEMI festival.
Though I have been monitoring and associating with the festival over the years in one way or the other, I must tell you that this is my first time of coming to witness it physically with my wife. We are quite overwhelmed. We are deeply impressed. The motive behind it is noble and enchanting. It is super good.
“I congratulate our dear father, Kabiyesi the Olobaagun,his High Chiefs,the people of Obaagun and the endless wonders being carried out by the Barrister Kayode Olowolagba led ODU executives in Organising it .
“I say cheers and kudos to all of us in Obaagun “. ended the remarks of Oluomo Ganiyu Makanjuola.
In his royal message,the Olobaagun of Obaagun Oba Jimoh Adebisi Kayode the second appreciated the unity and oneness of the people of Obaagun since he attended the throne of his forebears over three decades ago.
The Olobaagun whose joy knew no limit throughout the over 8 hours with which his palace pavilion was colourfully aglow with singing and dancing, noted that God, over the years,has been good to the people of Obaagun land at home and diaspora.
He enjoined his subjects to “always be good ambassadors of the town where they live.
” Let’s imbibe the spirit of love and brotherliness which I believe are the potent catalysts to drive the growth and development of Obaagun at all times .
“There’s no place like home. Make Obaagun,your first project wherever you are and you will be glad you did” noted the over 80 year old royal father .
In his own reaction while speaking with journalists drawn from both print and electronic media at this year’s programme,one of the indigenes of the town who works with the National Assembly,Abuja, Mr Yinka Al- Moruf Ajibolu viewed the current development in Obaagun with the birth of AFAIGUN N PEMI festival as a manifestation of true love,unity, strength of character and mutual cohesion which for a long time will continue to make Obaagun and its indegenes the envy and pride of other communities in Osun state.
Mr Ajibolu who similarly acknowledged and saluted the Olobaagun and his high Chiefs,the entire people of Obaagun and in particular , the executives of Obaagun Development Union led by a veteran legal practitioner, Alhaji Kayode Olowolagba pledged his commitment to continue to galvanise all necessary modalities at his disposal , morally and financially ,to make the annual programme a success that it has always been.
He also noted with satisfaction that, gradually, the festival will metamorphose into attaining the fame , beauty , grandeur and splendour of the popular annual Ojude Oba festival of Ijebu Ode in Ogun state .
Speaking further,Ajibolu categorically emphasised
” I must confess that this is amazingly great and endearing to my heart by being in the midst of my people,the great and wonderful people of Obaagun.
“At the risk of over exaggerating the worth and importance of this annual assemblage of who is who in Imori land , I must be quick to reiterate that the way we are going about it, Obaagun will ,in a matter of few years to come attend the crescendo of a town of national and international reckonings.
” I am happy to be associated with this programme as an indigene of Obaagun and in particular I commend the originators of AFAIGUN N PEMI for a job well done. History will never forget them in a hurry” Concluded Ajibolu .
There were several interesting side attractions as usual at this year’s programme ,one of them was a raffle draw which afforded people the opportunity to win different prizes like gas cooker, electric fans, gas cylinders, rechargeable lamps, hand sets, electronics, furniture , beverages, cooking utensils, bags of cement,plastic chairs and tables as well as different Ankara fabrics ,all of which were won by people who took part in the raffle draw via just a ticket of only N200 purchased .
Highlight of the colourfully organised event that was also attended by the different O.D.U branches throughout Nigeria including FCT,Abuja where indegenes of the town are based , was when an 18 year old,Science,Laborstory Technology student of Osun state Polytechnic,Iree, Miss Orelope Halimat Omobewaji of Aro Compound, Obaagun beat other equally beautiful co-contestants to emerge as The year 2022 Most Beautiful Girl in Obaagun. Accordingly, the new queen smiled home with specially packaged fabulous prizes and awards presented to her before the glare of the public at the occasion.
Beaming with smiles and satisfaction while speaking with newsmen after her installation and decoration with the new title of QUEEN AFAIGUN N PEMI 2022, Miss Orelope Halimat Omobewaji, an ND2 SLT student dedicated the victory to God and her family whom she said has always been instrumental to any meaningful venture she sets out to achieve in life .
When asked to speak on what could have given her an advantage over other co- contestant to become the new Miss AFAIGUN, Halimat confidently told newsmen that “I must say it was not only my beauty and elocution while addressing the gathering during the contest that gave me the victory but there were other factors which the panel set up to pick the best among us must have taken into consideration .
” I guess one of such factors must have been my dress sense and composure throughout the beauty contest .
“In the course of the contest , I also depicted the reality and decency of cultural paraphernalia with which the people of my beautiful town,Obaagun, are known for.
“Again, I was able to exude candour,confidence and tenacity of monumental proportion throughout the preliminary stages of the beauty contest until the final stage when I was pronounced as the winner .
“I must be humble to admit that I am not the most beautiful girl in my town and I can never be.
“However, in any contest, a winner must definitely emerge . So for this year, I am the winner .
” To God be the glory. Honestly ,I feel great , elated and overwhelmed to be henceforth refer to as Arewa ilu Obaagun
” I want to thank Allah,my Creator, the Olobaagun and his Chiefs, the entire people of Obaagun and in particular my parents from Orelope family for giving me the needed confidence and support to take part in which I eventually I made them proud with my emergence as the most beautiful girl in Obaagun during this year’s AFAIGUN N PEMI festival.” Concluded the new queen.
This year’s programme was as usual organized by the umbrella union of all sons and daughters of Obaagun called Obaagun Development Union .( O.D.U) under the Presidency of Barrister Kayode Olowolagba.
Speaking shortly after the well attended annual event which held at the palace pavilion, Obaagun, the Chairman, Planning Committee for 2022 AFAIGUN N PEMI festival,Hon. Moshood Olalere Makanjuola expressed joy and gratitude to God for the success of the event under his chairmanship .
Makanjuola who similarly expressed optimism that next years’ program,would ,by the grace of God ,be better and greater than this years’ ,pledged his commitment alongside other sons and daughters of the town to continue to make the annual get together a rallying point for growth and development.
The programme was climaxed with royal blessings by the Olobaagun of Obaagun,Oba Jimoh Adebisi Okunade (Kayode the second) for the progress and development of the town and its people at home and diaspora.
Moshood Suleiman is the Director, Publicity,
Obaagun Development Union.
