The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the umbrella body of all clubs and associations of Ibadan indigenes worldwide, will on Saturday honour two Ibadan sons in the Diaspora, Chief Laja Akintayo and Chief Abiola Iyiola, with the award of the Most Patriotic Ibadan Indigene (MPII).
The conferment ceremony will be part of activities marking the grand finale of this year’s Ibadan Cultural Festival slated to hold at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, by 10am.
A letter signed by the President General of the CCII, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole and chairman of the 2024 Ibadan Cultural Festival Planning Committee, Chief Gaphar Ojetola, described the honorees, Chief Akintayo, the Jagunmolu Apesinola of Ibadanland and a former national president of the Ibadan Descendants Union (IDU), USA Inc., and Chief Iyiola, the Ajia Olubadan of Ibadanland and current national president of IDU USA Inc., as exemplary in their contributions to the development of the council and Ibadan City.
“We in Ibadan have decided to celebrate you now so as to show you that Ibadan has created a deserved place for you in her history. You are most deserving of this honor by virtue of your unrelentless and selfless service to the CCII and Ibadanland,“ the letter said.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, is expected to be the special guest of honor at the ceremony that is expected to be attended by prominent personalities in Ibadanland.
Reacting to the award, the National Public Relations Officer of IDU, USA, Mr Shola Bolomope, commended the CCII for recognising the “tremendous and amazing” contributions of two of its members.
“Our members are always ready and willing to complement government efforts in making lives better for our people back home,“ Bolomope said.
Chief Akintayo, who served the Dallas chapter of IDU for many years as president, is currently the chairman of the Ibadan Community Water Project of the union that is constructing 22 solar-powered boreholes across Ibadanland.
Chief Abiola led the fundraising effort that ensured the completion of the recently commissioned ultramodern Olubadan palace in Ibadan. He is also currently leading efforts to build a multimillion-dollar “Ibadan House” in Houston, Texas, for the use of all Ibadan indigenes in the Diaspora
