Ifaki Day

Community Revelry - Ifaki Day 2006 By, Seye Adetunmbi (Featured in MINDSET, a book published in 2012)

It had since been a trend for most of the Nigerian communities to set aside a day for indigenes home and abroad to come together for communal feasting and public celebration. One may not easily recollect how it all started among Yoruba communities, however it must have evolved out of the necessity to find a forum that would bring indigenes together on a neutral ground irrespective of political leanings, religious beliefs and creed.

Of course, it is also an avenue for the host communities to use the forum to raise funds when they have a large turn out. It first came to my consciousness sometime in the middle of l970s on invitation of my childhood friend Abayomi Olorunfemi to Usi Day which enabled me to join our mutual friends Adeguns, Bamgboyes, Adenirans, Odesanmis, Bodedes, Dadas, Adebayos, Oshadiyas, Adebulehins, Akeredolus etc in fête! It was unique to me because at Ifaki-Ekiti my hometown, we have a unifying Okorobo festival which entertains everyone and attract all and sundry annually. Usi-Ekiti must fall in the category of the progenitors of the laudable idea. For as long as it is not all towns or villages that have native festivals such as Olojo Ife, Okorobo Ifaki, Osun Osogbo etc, it is quite edifying and tactical to package an indigenous event that will appeal to all.

Ifaki is a nodal town in the center of Ekiti-State of Nigeria which informed why I am fond of calling the town "Abuja of Ekiti". Ifaki has four quarters Egun, Ilero, Ilogbe and Iwore. The town had since joined others in this vogue of "community day festivities" many long standing unifying aboriginal revels notwithstanding.

The first formal Ifaki Day was held nonetheless in March 1979 and had always been held around the Oba's Palace. In the search for ways to make the event more exciting, the venue was changed in 2006 and structured more towards activities that are capable of bringing everyone together. As a matter of fact, some Christians are still not fully comfortable with or disposed to the famous Okorobo festival, thus a stimulating Ifaki Day is most welcome for an all inclusive participation. The 2006 event coincided with the scheduled meeting of Ekiti Consultative Forum at Ibadan and this did not make it possible for eminent non-indigenes that would have come to grace the occasion to participate. Nevertheless, the 2006 experiment played out well and earned pass mark with room for improvement in the future since it is a going concern.

His Royal Highness Oba Gabriel Agbaje The Olufaki of Ifaki and Olori

At the instance of UNIQ Club of Ifaki the principal sponsor of Ifaki Day 2006, a number of Ekiti indigenes were recommended for recognition by Ifaki Progressive Union (IPU) to encourage more people to embark on honourable ventures. The appreciation went beyond Ifaki indigenes. Engineer Dayo Adetunmbi, Managing Director of Van vliet Trucks Nigeria Limited who is appreciated by the young and old, Muslims and Christians of Ifaki because of his uncommon philanthropy, was celebrated. 'A chip off the old block' in giving who was always unhappy when he could not give out. One can see connection in an aspect of the 'oriki' (attribute) Adelodun family for ages; '….o di igba isu t'ore' (give away 200 tubers of yam).

He derives pleasure in reaching out beyond expectation of his beneficiaries who predominantly have no capacity or inclination to do anything in returns at a huge cost to him amidst tremendous challenges. I doff my hat for his rare kind of giving. The trademark of the extra ordinary benevolence activist is that he is most comfortable in cute short knickers! Apa (hand) o ka (can't go round) igi (tree), Baba o, Tiroko, indiscriminate eleniyan (eerie and wonderful) indeed!

Dayo Adetunmbi (a.k.a. Apa) an awardee of Ifaki Day 2006 flanked by wives (Iyawo-Ile) Adetunmbi-Adelodun family

Other Ekitipanupo chieftains appreciated at the event include Chief Segun Oni of Education Trust Fund, a promising PDP Governorship aspirant, Otunba Dayo Olarewaju a remarkable entrepreneur, Chairman of Celiat group of companies and Seye Adetunmbi a.k.a. Seyeifaki among total of 25 awardees.

In the posthumous category was Tunde Omojola a native of Ayedun-Ekiti who lost his life as a result of severe beating during bye-election held in May 2005 at Ifaki-Ekiti. A Bus Stop was formally dedicated to his memory.

Three of the awardees at Ifaki Day 2006 L-R: Niyi Adeoya, Seye Adetunmbi & Otunba Dayo Olarewaju

One Award that was refreshingly exciting in Ifaki Day 2006 was the posthumous recognition and recognition that was accorded Pa Olonaoye Ogunyemi popularly called Olonaoye who was born circa 1915. He was the most famous Okorobo carrier for decades in the history of Ifaki. I was privileged to know him in his old age and I admired him a lot. Incidentally his father Pa Odaisun Ogunyemi and my grandfather Joseph Adewuya Adelodun aka 'Aromasodu' were brothers from Ol'uwo compound in Iwore quarter. Whenever Abalonoye carried Aja 'no-shaking' to & fro a 2-kilometer procession! His reward for a carrying the Okorobo was a fowl. Because of his age and eagerness of younger ones who were desirable of stepping into his shoes, they wanted him to retire. The younger ones sang to bug him in Ifaki dialect "Tori adiye kan, Olonaoye e ya ku" (because of a fowl he wants to kaput).

A huge 6-footer whose other pastime is the membership of a native music band dominated by old women. His hand was about two of mine and you can imagine the impact on kekedu drum made with buffalo skin! No formal education and could neither read nor write. I remember his dansiki and khaki short knickers and cannot recall seeing him in shoes. It must have been tough getting his size coupled with the fact that he was unable to afford good one and had been walking bare footed over the years anyway!

Chief Segun Oni (right) PDP Governorship aspirant and one of the awardees flanked by the Oba and high Chiefs of Ifaki at the event

As a little boy, there was no television, no cartoon, no Sesame Street; amusement parks and zoo are in the city and no Barney for my entertainment. Of course Abalonoye was my own Superman! Mere seeing him was enough fun for me. I would have followed aba mi Olonaoye to Ugbomole (grove) Iwore Quarter but for my most venerable father! It was indeed a most deserving award to the great gem and the lesson here is whatever calling one has or vocation one knows how to do, endeavour to do it honourably and make your mark, be it in a village, town or cosmopolitan setting! Someone is watching all actions and reward will come sooner or later just ensure that you are on the good side of history!

For the benefit of all Nigerian communities in general, it is imperative for every community to study their peculiarities and structure their communal day celebration to suit the reality of their situation. Those communities with children in high strategic places through whom favours could be sought and have to their credit many beneficiaries, may explore opportunities of fund raising for communal projects. Others should focus more on the concepts that would first attract people to the venue of event and the organizers must beware of programes that can brew division. When you have several indigenes aspiring for one elective post or the other, a level playing ground must be provided for all parties.

Ifaki traditional Chiefs at the well attended Ifaki Day 2006

Awards could be inspiring to many people, but if the selection process is not transparent, collective and the criteria clearly defined upfront; it may defeat the whole essence. It is thus strategic to constitute a committee that would call for nominations from all quarters and make recommendations accordingly. Those charged with the responsibilities of coordinating such an august event must not be partisan or seen so. Don't allow self serving politicians break your ranks by bringing sectional/selfish interest into community matters in the manner that can cause disharmony or mortal enemity.

It is when a community has been able to bring majority of the indigenes together to a village square gathering that they can deliberate together on appropriate ways to move their town forward. It is like seeking the kingdom of God first, every other thing would follow.

Well meaning indigenes must be involved in communal activities otherwise, it is those who show-up that would take charge deploring the best of their ability. Of course it would amount to self serving if anyone gets too critical of the consequences of the work of these volunteers in the final analysis. This is what leads to the kind of result we get from the caliber of people elected to offices across the nation, when eminent capable people stick to their cocoon.

However, if a village square forum is all-inclusive in its planning, execution and commitment to serving collective objective is paramount, then short of economic constraints and tight official schedules, indigenes would not only look forward to it, they will do everything possible to support it unequivocally.

As'eyi s'amodun o! (Many memorable and remarkable returns)