By Kreovant Media

For 67 years, the crown of Igede-Ekiti has remained on the head of one 93-year-old young man, Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru, whose reign, dating back to 1959, has become a defining chapter in the history and traditional heritage of the Ekiti community.

Now, as the town prepares for another edition of its annual Ojude Ake Festival, the people are seeking national recognition for their monarch, urging President Bola Tinubu to confer a national honour on the traditional ruler in recognition of his extraordinary longevity on the throne.

The appeal, which places the monarch’s remarkable reign at the centre of the community’s cultural celebration, also comes with renewed calls for government intervention in infrastructure, tourism and other critical sectors considered essential to Igede-Ekiti’s development.

The Chairman of the Ojude Ake 2026 Planning Committee, Dr Oludotun Adetuberu, made the appeal while outlining the activities for this year’s festival in Igede-Ekiti, in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Adetunberu said the recommendation for a national honour for Oba Adelusi was already being pursued, expressing confidence that the monarch’s decades of traditional leadership would receive appropriate recognition at the national level.

He said, “Let me also state that we are recommending to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that our revered monarch be given a national honour in recognition of his status as the longest-serving reigning king in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. The recommendation is already in the pipeline, and we are working towards its realisation.”

Beyond the proposed honour, the committee chairman said the festival offered an opportunity for the community to reflect on its development aspirations, mobilise its indigenes and draw the attention of government to projects capable of improving residents’ living conditions.

At the heart of these aspirations is the need to transform Igede-Ekiti’s natural and cultural assets into economic opportunities, particularly through tourism development and improved road infrastructure.

Adetuveru disclosed that the Federal Government had begun taking steps towards assuming responsibility for the development of a tourist centre associated with Osun River, although the community was yet to establish when construction would commence.

He said residents would continue to engage their political representatives to ensure that the proposed intervention moved beyond the planning stage and translated into tangible development.

The committee chairman also identified the proposed road linking Iworoko to Igede-Ekiti as one of the critical projects awaiting implementation.

The road, he said, was estimated to cover between 13 and 14 kilometres, but its execution had been affected by the country’s budgetary process.

“The government has also started paying attention to our community. If you visit the town, you will see that several projects are already in the pipeline for implementation by the government.

“We are hopeful that the governor will be magnanimous enough to reciprocate this support by providing more developmental projects for the state and our community.

“There is also a road project linking Iworoko to Igede-Ekiti. The distance was estimated at between 13 and 14 kilometres. The project is already in the pipeline, but the way the country’s budget is being managed continues to affect its implementation.

“The government is also undertaking some internal road projects for us. However, that does not mean we have received everything we need. We have made several requests, and many developmental projects are still in the pipeline. We are hopeful that these requests will eventually translate into tangible projects,” he said.

Adetuberu further linked the community’s expectations to its political participation during the June governorship election in Ekiti State, claiming that Igede-Ekiti delivered more than 7,000 votes in support of the incumbent Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.

He argued that the community’s electoral support should be matched by increased government presence, improved infrastructure and interventions that would stimulate economic activities.

To complement government efforts, the committee chairman announced a ₦250 million development fund to support projects aimed at improving the town’s infrastructure, boosting tourism and preserving its cultural heritage.

The proposed projects include transforming Elemi River into a tourist attraction, renovating the town hall, strengthening security and expanding and renovating the royal palace.

The initiatives, he said, were part of a broader effort to mobilise resources for the community’s development while ensuring that the town’s cultural identity remained central to its growth aspirations.

For him, the Ojude Ake Festival represents more than a gathering for cultural display, it is also an avenue to bring indigenes together, attract visitors, celebrate the community’s history and build support for its future.

In his remarks, Oba Adelusi described the Ake Festival as an important cultural celebration through which the people preserve their heritage, traditions and identity.

The monarch said the festival brings together indigenes, residents and visitors to celebrate their shared history, reinforce communal bonds and create opportunities for tourism, economic growth and community engagement.

He added that increased patronage during the celebration would also benefit local businesses, making the festival an avenue for cultural preservation and economic activity.