Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The Owa Ajero of Ijero Kingdom, Oba Joseph Adebayo, has commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for upgrading the College of Technology, Ijero, to a polytechnic, while calling for sustained government support to improve education and infrastructure in the community.
The monarch said this on Saturday at his palace in Ijero-Ekiti during a press conference ahead of the third Itajero Festival, where he highlighted the importance of education to the kingdom’s development.
Adebayo said the conversion of the institution to a polytechnic represented an important step towards expanding access to higher education and creating opportunities for young people in Ijero and neighbouring communities. He also commended the institution’s management for its efforts since the upgrade.
“I appreciate our governor for transforming our College of Technology into a polytechnic. I also appreciate the management of the polytechnic for the work they are doing,” he said.
Adebayo further disclosed that the state government had made arrangements through the relevant ministry to support improvements in schools in Ijero. He said such interventions are important because quality education would give young people the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to community development.
He urged the government to sustain the interventions and to ensure that educational institutions in Ijero receive adequate infrastructure, equipment and other facilities needed for effective teaching and learning. According to him, developing education should remain a priority alongside other community development projects.
The monarch also commended Oyebanji for providing a transformer in Ijero, describing the development as significant to the community and its institutions. He appealed to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company to ensure that the transformer is properly connected and operated efficiently.
Adebayo also thanked the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for his contributions to Ekiti’s development, particularly in roads, healthcare, and market infrastructure. He expressed concern about the quality of some projects executed by contractors and called for better supervision.
The monarch said education, infrastructure and economic development must progress together, stressing that government projects would deliver greater benefits when communities are properly involved in planning and execution.
The monarch described the Itajero Festival as a platform for celebrating Ijero’s history, culture and relationship with Ile-Ife. He said the festival also allows sons and daughters of the kingdom in Nigeria and the diaspora to return home and contribute to the community’s development.
Adebayo thanked the chiefs, festival committee, youths, women and the media for their contributions, and assured participants of adequate security during the celebration. He prayed for the safe arrival of guests. He declared the 2026 Itajero Festival open, urging all sons and daughters of Ijero to return home and join in celebrating their heritage while contributing to the future development of the kingdom.
The High Chief and Secretary of the Itajero Festival Foundation, Ayo Afolabi, said that the festival programme would include the Miss Itajero pageant, Shugudu Night and the grand finale at Erekesen Market Square. He added that the grand finale would also feature the launching of the proposed Itajero Festival Pavilion, targeted at N2 billion.
The Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Development and Investment Promotion, Lanre Ogunlare, said the government would continue to support initiatives that advance Ijero’s development. He described the festival as an important platform for promoting the community’s cultural identity and development.
The Secretary of the Ijero Youth Association, Pastor Akin Alufa, and Chief Yemisi Ayilara also called for greater participation by youths and women in the community’s development. Ayilara said that women empowerment programmes and the Miss Itajero initiative would create opportunities for young people and women during the festival.