The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has assured the people of Egbaland that his administration would ensure the timely completion of the Ake Palace Pavilion currently under construction at the Palace of the Alake of Egbaland, with the view to giving the people an atmosphere of comfort and pride.
Prince Dapo Abiodun, who gave the assurance at the 34th Celebration of Lisabi Day held in Abeokuta, said that his administration would ensure that the celebration of a brave warrior who fought for the freedom of the town was done in grand style and in the Ogun standard way, appreciating the sons and daughters of Egbaland in diaspora for not losing touch with their roots.
"This is a celebration of our rich culture and heritage. It is a celebration of someone who was very bold and patriotic, defended the Egba people and fought wars and won wars on behalf of the Egba people. We must celebrate this occasion in style. Henceforth, it must be celebrated in the Ogun standard way. By the grace of God, we would ensure that by this time next year when we are celebrating another Lisabi Day, it would be in the comfort of a finished and first-class, five-star pavilion.
"I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the Egba sons and daughters that are in diaspora, particularly those that have continued to maintain close links with home, as exemplified by what we saw this afternoon - the ones that came from Canada, who have come to support the cause of education by giving out scholarships to some students that are deserving. This is the kind of initiative that we will continue to encourage in Ogun State. We must find a way to leave a life of impact," he said.
Abiodun, while urging the people of the State to be patriotic, selfless and to imbibe all the virtues of the late warrior, said that the people of the State should remember and owe their essence to the sacrifices and heroic deeds of its past heroes.
"But today as we all gather in honour of patriotism and selflessness, let us all imbibe all the positive virtues of Lisabi, as people of Egbaland and Ogun State and Nigeria. We must remember that we owe our essence to the sacrifices and heroic deeds of our Giants. Celebrations such as this should serve as a reminder to us about our individual and collective responsibility to our motherland. This enviable legacy should serve and propel all of us," he said.
The Governor also disclosed that his administration would continue to ensure even development of the State, adding that his administration will ensure that its grassroot is developed in line with its people-centered framework.
"On the part of this administration, let me assure all the people of Ogun State that we are unwavering in our commitment to the development of all parts of our State. We will continue to accord priority to grassroots development by involving a people-centered framework for the design and implementation of our programs as encapsulated in our 'Building Our Future Together Agenda," he said.
In his remarks, the Aláké and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, while calling for a healthy rivalry among various tribes, noted that it is a great thing to borrow ideas from others' tribes, use them and make them better than they originally were.
Aláké, while appreciating sons and daughters of Egbaland for not losing touch with their roots, thanked the Governor for supporting the 34th celebration of the festival.
Earlier in his remarks, the Aare Ona Kakanofo, Otunba Gani Adams urged the State Government to help work on the access road to the Lisabi Groove against the 35th edition, urging the people of Egbaland and other kings in Egbaland to come together and celebrate the bravery of Lisabi together.
Adams, while calling on the State Government to develop its tourist attractions, appreciated the Governor for gracing the occasion, saying that his presence speaks a lot about his support for the festival.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the State, Dr. Toyin Taiwo said that the Ministry would not rest on its oars to ensure that tourist sites in the State wear a new look, adding that the Ministry is aiming to ensure that all its tourist sites attain international standard.
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