IFO LG : HON KUSIMO HOSTS OLOWU OF OWU, PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR ANNUAL OWU DAY CELEBRATION

By Dele Ogunyemi 

The Executive Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Hon. Idris Olalekan Kusimo, has officially pledged his support and confirmed his attendance at the grand finale of the 2025 Owu Day celebration, scheduled for Saturday, September 25th, 2025.

Hon. Kusimo made the commitment on Thursday, October 23rd, 2025, while receiving His Royal Majesty, Oba Prof. Saka Adelola Matemilola Oluyalo, Otileta VII, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Council Secretariat.

In his response to the royal address, Hon. Kusimo commended Oba Matemilola as a monarch worthy of emulation, specifically praising his various developmental initiatives in the sectors of health, education, and community empowerment. He noted that the Olowu's initiatives are making a significant contribution to improving healthcare, advancing education, and alleviating poverty within the Owu Kingdom, and that these efforts directly support the social and developmental objectives that are a primary responsibility of government.

Earlier in his remarks, Oba Prof. Saka Adelola Matemilola Oluyalo expressed his gratitude to the Council Chairman for the warm reception. He explained that his visit to the Local Government was part of the itinerary for the 2025 Owu Day Celebration. The revered monarch noted that before proceeding to Ibogun, an Owu town within the Council Area, his delegation deemed it necessary to pay a courtesy call to the Chairman.

Kabiyesi further briefed the Council Chairman on his numerous developmental projects focused on education, health, and empowerment. These initiatives are central to his vision of improving the quality of life for his subjects and promoting sustainable development at the grassroots level, including fostering infrastructure, digital empowerment, and spiritual growth across Owu communities.

The event culminated in a profound gesture of cultural continuity, as His Royal Majesty, Oba Prof. Saka Adelola Matemilola Oluyalo, Otileta VII, presented Hon. Kusimo with the sacred yields of the earth - yams and plantains. This was not merely a gift of food, but a symbolic bestowal of sustenance, fertility, and the ancestral blessings of the Owu Kingdom upon the honoree. 

The Olowu was accompanied by several high-ranking Chiefs and prominent sons and daughters of Owu Kingdom. The event was also attended by key officials of Ifo Local Government, including the Vice Chairman, Hon. Abibat Ojo; the Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Bamgboye Samuel; the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Temitope Adegboyega; as well as Supervisors, Councillors, Special Advisers, and other senior political and career officers.