By Fisayo Akinduro
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The indigenes of Igbara-Oke in the Ifedore local government area of Ondo State have been urged to embrace their culture and traditions and also take advantage of positive opportunities that will help to develop the community.

Olowa of Igbara-Oke, Oba Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede made this call during the 2018 Orikadun celebration held at the weekend.

Orikadun is the end of the year festival in Igbara-Oke.

The monarch said celebrating Orikadun festival has helped in impacting knowledge to the current  generations and up coming one in order not to go into extinction.

“Igbara-Oke has shown the world that festivals, traditions and cultural heritage bequeathed to us by our forefathers are second to none and we are very proud of this.”

He said 2018 has been a tremendous and memorable  year,  noting that the year has offered good tidings in different ways to the community.

“The year has offered unto us good tidings in different areas, the harvest yielded more fruitful crops and the weather has been so friendly to our farmers.

” Our traders and artisans are enjoying the viable economic status of our community and the satellite towns. The construction of roads is ongoing and Rice Mill factory was flagged off in February this year.

Oba Agbede thanked the entire people of Igbara-Oke for their maximum cooperation and unflinching support in actualising his dreams.

He also appreciated both the federal and state governments  for the appointments of their sons and daughters, saying it showed  that good things can still come out of their Nazareth.

He appealed to politicians and the well- to-do in Igbara-Oke to look into the needs of the town and as well empower the youth.

Ahead of the 2019 elections, the monarch called on politicians not to see elective positions as a do-or-die affair  and should also respect people’s ideology and desist from what may bring confusion and hinder peace in the community.

The Onigemo of Igbara-Oke, High Chief Babatunde Aiyegbo while speaking with The Hope said Orikadun festival  marks the end of  all the traditional festivals in Igbara-Oke.

“We have been celebrating series of festivals for the past four months and Orikadun is the final  one which will usher us into the new year which is starting on Sunday (yesterday).

He urged the indigenes of Igbara-Oke to cooperate with Oba Agbede for the growth and development of the community.

Also speaking, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Col. Olu Apata said the annual event brings members of  the community together and hoped that in the nearest future, the Olowa of Igbara-Oke will upgrade the event.

Also speaking, a guest, who is also an indigene of Igbara-Oke, Hon. Commissioner for African Affairs, office of the Mayor, city of Newark, USA,  Olamide Davies-Talabi described the event as a beautiful festival which  has helped tremendously in  promoting  the town’s  culture.

She urged indigenes of Igbara-Oke home and abroad to come home to celebrate festival like this.

She noted that the festival is the epic of African culture which is bringing out our culture and value.

The festival was well attended by Oba Agbede’s  Oloris, Adejoke and Tinuade Agbede, Baales of Igbara-Oke’s 13 satellite towns, chiefs and youths of the town.