By Kehinde Adejumo
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Osi, an ancient  town situated along Igoba- Isinigbo road in Akure North Local Government area of Ondo State  is about 18 kilometers away from Akure,  the State capital.

It has been in existence for over  600 years. It is an agrarian community, where they produce cocoa, kolanut and other food crops in large quantities.

Osi is one of the few communities in Ondo State that is blessed with a visionary  leader.

The Iresi of Osi land, Oba Olajide David Okunato, a telecommunications technologist, who was installed as the Iresi of Osi  in July, 2014.

In a space of  four years, Osi  that was in obscurity before now, has now become  a household name,  not only in Ondo State, but also in Nigeria as a whole.

Oba Okunato’s visionary Leadership has brought the community out of obscurity to limelight  in less than five years  on the throne as the community has witnessed  tremendous developments  some of which are:  building of police  station, construction of road from Osi to Owo express road, opening of over a hundred layout,  building of a Central Mosque for Osi and the surrounding communities and Magistrate Court.

Not only these, there are several  ongoing projects  which include clearing of proposed site for a modern Palace, construction of a modern market,  construction of residential houses  for  the Anglican Priest, building of both primary and secondary schools and the construction of  factory where electrical materials will be produced.

Okunato, while speaking with Community Hope said  all he thinks is how to make  Osi a cynosure of all eyes and also to make  it known to the whole world.

He said, among his developmental plans is to establish a  private frequency modulation radio station. The purpose is to take Osi from obscurity to limelight.

“It is annoying that before now,  even people from our local government, Akure North do not  know  us (Osi),  but now, the story has changed  but I am not yet satisfied, l want Osi to be a household  name, not only in Ondo State,  but  in Nigeria and the whole world at large. “

I have taken so many fruitful steps to make this a reality. Among these  steps  include  the establishment of Electricity Appliances Industry in Osi that will specialize in the production of items like, Streetlights  bulbs, lighting protectors, household electricity bulbs.

The products will be  circulated around the country and even across the sub-saharan Africa.

“I was not also pleased   with the supply of electricity in the area.  I embarked on erections  of high tension poles so that we could have our own transformer, now Osi electricity is the best in the surrounding communities”.

As a telecommunications technologist, he went further to obtain customized prepaid  meters for all the residents of  the area, adding that he has partnered foreign firms to produce  telecommunications equipment in the area that can be exported  to other parts of Africa.

The Iresi of Osi, said the Royal Estate in Osi land is going to be the best estate in the state.

He revealed that several  Obas and dignitaries in the country have purchased plots of land in the estate  to put up  befitting edifices.

“Among my developmental  plans  is the  allocation of plots of  land  to Journalists in the state to build “Pen Estate” and many Journalists had responded,  because the land is affordable, all in a bid to project Osi community to the world.

The Iresi of Osi , prioritises  the issue of religion  in the area. As a christian,  he bought   musical instruments  worth several thousands of naira for  St. Andrews Anglican Church in the area, and  the mission house for the priests has reached 80 percent completion.

According to him, recently the Osi Central Mosque  was completed and handed over to the Muslims  in Osi and the surrounding communities.

Okunato did not stop at that, he built  a befitting shrine for the deity  called ” Oju Akin. ” he also relocated the deity from the old  dilapidated building to the new building.

All these landmark achievements were  80 percent financed by the monarch, and  the remaining percentage  through communal efforts.  He however commended the people of the area for their cooperation and support. “

” I was able to achieve these feats  because of my people’s  absolute support”.

The monarch said to complement  government efforts in its development drive , thirteen  hectares of land have been set aside to build modern market and work has commenced on it.

High Chief Akinyemi, the Asai of Osi land commended the efforts of  Oba Okunato  in bringing  Osi out of obscurity to limelight. He described the monarch as a man with good foresight.

“This  is a quality that a good leader cannot do without , he sees ahead of time.

He is a man that anticipates future development, he plans several years ahead of everyone of us.

“Without gainsaying. Oba Okunato is a visionary leader  who knows what to do to take Osi to a higher  height. “I can describe him, as another Awolowo of our time.  Already,  he has ten years development plan of Osi at hand, he has the ability to envision the future and acts as if it is a  tangible reality”,  Asai stressed.

He said, what  surprised him most is the zeal with which he  does the work of the community with his own money without  expecting anything from anybody.

“He has committed  several millions of naira to the various projects executed in the area from his own purse.

” Oba Okunato is God sent to develop  Osi, the Ifa that chose him for us did not make mistake, no one could have done it better.

“lf Nigeria as a nation has this type of passionate leadership, we will compete favorably with the Americans  and all the developed countries of the world in terms of economic  development, infrastructural development and all round development.”

The major festivals in  Osi are Opa and Imoriko  festivals. Opa festival always comes up between July and August,  Opa festival originated from Osi. “Every other community  that celebrates  Opa festival takes  cue from us. It is a festival of brave. It shows how brave the sons and daughters of Osi are.

Another important festival is Imoroko, during which the people of  the land present their requests  to Akin Deity.

According to him,  the people of the land always look forward to the  festival, as that is the only period the god of the land comes down to  take their requests  to the Almighty the God.

“There is no one that goes to “Akin shrine” with faith concerning one problem or the other that  does not  come back with testimony”, Asai boasted.

The High Chief admonished the youth of  the area not  to  allow themselves to be used as political thugs, saying that the children of those politicians  are abroad  studying in prestigious Universities.

Another resident, Mr Babatunde Adaramoye  who just moved to the  area commended the monarch sincerity on the issue of land matter. According to him,  there  is nobody that purchases  land  in the area that regrets  doing so as there is proper  documentation there is no land racketeering in Osi unlike in other areas where  a plot of land is  sold to more than three people “.

He appealed to the state government to help them rehabilitate the road that leads  to Osi and the neighbouring  communities as “the road is terribly bad”.

Please help us complement the good work  our kabiyesi is doing,  because if there is no good road network the infrastructural Development is not complete”.

He said Osi and Igoba should be included in the ongoing road projects in the next year’s  budget of the state.