Coming Together, Working Selflessly for the Common Good of the Community
By Oloye Sola Akinfemiwa (OON), Aro of Ile-Oluji Kingdom & Speaker, Ile-Oluji Assembly
The vision of the Ile-Oluji Assembly (IA) was essentially derived from the concept that
contributions from each one of us, no matter how small, will go a long way to move the
community forward on the path of development and growth. IA believes that the entire
community is connected, that the relationship between each one of us and the Kingdom is
inter-dependent, with every individual having a positive influence on the other.
The African
philosophy of Ubuntu has been a guiding principle - “I am because we are.”
The IA vision advocates the following: coming together, trust, transparency, integrity, dignity,
and selflessness, giving without expecting anything in return. With this vision, I believe that
the over 350 IA members can come together to push this vision in an impressive way.
Working through Groups and Committees, pushing limits, all age groups across professional
lines and disciplines.
The coming to the throne of a new King was a major impetus in interpreting this vision. IA
only actually wanted to be a visioning team, a think-tank for the community through the Ile-
Oluji Development Council (IDC). However, on engaging with the King, the Jegun in Council
and the IDC, IA was mandated to go ahead to implement its recommendations. I guess the
message was practise what you were preaching or hoping for.
IA configured itself to be a development partner to the throne and it got royal blessings on
this. It worked as we at the IA believe that we achieved part of our vision especially on the
concept of interdependency as the Palace recently rebooted and reinvigorated the IDC.
The IA believes that it should be a guiding light to motivate more Oijefon to focus on engaging in development and indeed growth within the Kingdom. We at IA today can beat our chests and say we are part of the phenomenal growth in the community in the last few years, especially with the ascent to the throne of HRM Oba (Dr) Oluwole Olufaderin Adetimehin, Jimoko II, the Jegun Olu-Ekun and Paramount Ruler of Ile-Oluji Kingdom. We are now emboldened to be part of developments in the community working together and competing to develop the community. The IA realized quickly in this journey that there are people from Ile Oluji all over the world who wanted to be part of happenings in their place of birth but did not know how to go about that. IA became the platform. The IA has been a platform for the young, the old, and the not so old to engage. Thanks to technology. Through these engagements we discovered ourselves. We spend time chatting, talking to each other, sharing ideas and ideals in the most significant ways. I must say that there is nothing IA has done that has not been done before, nothing really. However, IA connected Oijefon all over the world, over 400 to engage at once, online, 24/7 for seven years. This is novel. IA members invested their social capital in pushing development and hopefully growth in Ile-Oluji Kingdom. For this, on behalf of the leadership of IA I thank all members for the display of love and affection for mother land. I must also thank the Kabiyesi, HRM Oba Olufaderin Adetimehin and the Jegun in Council for the honour done us by giving their blessings to the IA. We do not take this for granted.
The IA believes that it should be a guiding light to motivate more Oijefon to focus on engaging in development and indeed growth within the Kingdom. We at IA today can beat our chests and say we are part of the phenomenal growth in the community in the last few years, especially with the ascent to the throne of HRM Oba (Dr) Oluwole Olufaderin Adetimehin, Jimoko II, the Jegun Olu-Ekun and Paramount Ruler of Ile-Oluji Kingdom. We are now emboldened to be part of developments in the community working together and competing to develop the community. The IA realized quickly in this journey that there are people from Ile Oluji all over the world who wanted to be part of happenings in their place of birth but did not know how to go about that. IA became the platform. The IA has been a platform for the young, the old, and the not so old to engage. Thanks to technology. Through these engagements we discovered ourselves. We spend time chatting, talking to each other, sharing ideas and ideals in the most significant ways. I must say that there is nothing IA has done that has not been done before, nothing really. However, IA connected Oijefon all over the world, over 400 to engage at once, online, 24/7 for seven years. This is novel. IA members invested their social capital in pushing development and hopefully growth in Ile-Oluji Kingdom. For this, on behalf of the leadership of IA I thank all members for the display of love and affection for mother land. I must also thank the Kabiyesi, HRM Oba Olufaderin Adetimehin and the Jegun in Council for the honour done us by giving their blessings to the IA. We do not take this for granted.
Ile-Oluji Assembly: An Innovative Self-help Community Development Model
By Ademola Akinbola
When the Ile-Oluji Assembly (IA) started deliberations on November 23, 2017, it was by
default. A WhatsApp Group created by Oloye Ademola Akinbola for Ile-Oluji Times was
subsequently enlarged and reconfigured following inspirations from Pastor Wole Oladiyun
and Oloye Aro Sola Akinfemiwa. The “default” beginning turned out to be a good one.
Indeed, it was novel seeing a group of people, united by purpose but domiciling in various
parts of the world, starting an online chat forum that literally transformed into the most
powerful development forum for Ile-Oluji in recent history.
In seven years, IA has become a veritable “development partner” of the Jegun-in-Council
and IDC, adding value in real quantitative and qualitative terms to the development agenda
of HRM Oba (Dr) Olufaderin Adetimehin. The IA has become a mass movement, a massive
organ of change and development complementing the laudable activities of the Jegun-in-
Council.
It is often said that there is strength in unity and togetherness. A group of people uniting to
work as a team has the tendency and potentials of achieving much more than a single
individual can achieve. That sums up the story of IA, a WhatsApp group of over 500 patriotic
Ile-Oluji indigenes.
The main purpose of the Ile-Oluji Assembly is to facilitate meaningful discourse on various social and economic development issues pertaining to Ile-Oluji. The Assembly is a Think Tank that works in concert with all stakeholders in the community, especially the IDC, in pushing the socio-economic development of our homeland. The Assembly is, however a purely private initiative with all its projects being implemented through individual and group efforts without recourse to public funding (through IDC) or any other existing arrangements in the community. The Assembly essentially encourages its members at home and abroad to give back to the community through projects sponsorship in kind or cash. It also seeks to convince them to bring to the table fresh ideas and practical solutions to issues affecting the socio-economic development of Ile-Oluji. The Main Assembly is composed of the Office of the Speaker and the Secretariat. For the purpose of inclusion and in order to simplify its tasks, IA devolved into the following groups: Economic Development Group (with sub-groups on Agribusiness) Education Group (with a sub-group on Primary Education) Health, Safety, and Security Group Infrastructure and Urban Renewal Group Mobilisation, Culture, Re-orientation and Tourism Youth Engagement Group (YEG) Governance & Politics Group
Prior to the implementation of its various plans, the Assembly formally presented its strategy document to the Jegun-in-Council (JIC) and the Ile-Oluji Development Committee (IDC). The report was critically acclaimed by JIC and IA was commended for the richness of its ideas. The JIC subsequently approved that the various recommendations in the report should be implemented by the IA working in concert with the IDC. Sequel to the endorsement and encouragement by the JIC, the IA commenced implementation. Credit must go to Oloye Sola Akinfemiwa (OON), the speaker and main driving force of the IA, who, in the absence of a proper structure, still managed to steer the ship of the IA successfully for seven years. Similarly, Otunba the Venerable Olufemi Oyawale, Dr Babatunde Ogunsusi, Mrs. Adun Akinyemiju, Eng. Sam Adegboyega and Mr Olad Oyewumi deserve accolades for their exemplary leadership roles which helped to sustain the momentum. Special mention must also be made of the support and cooperation of Chief (Mrs) Modupe Ogunsusi, Chairperson of the Ile-Oluji Development Committee (IDC).
The main purpose of the Ile-Oluji Assembly is to facilitate meaningful discourse on various social and economic development issues pertaining to Ile-Oluji. The Assembly is a Think Tank that works in concert with all stakeholders in the community, especially the IDC, in pushing the socio-economic development of our homeland. The Assembly is, however a purely private initiative with all its projects being implemented through individual and group efforts without recourse to public funding (through IDC) or any other existing arrangements in the community. The Assembly essentially encourages its members at home and abroad to give back to the community through projects sponsorship in kind or cash. It also seeks to convince them to bring to the table fresh ideas and practical solutions to issues affecting the socio-economic development of Ile-Oluji. The Main Assembly is composed of the Office of the Speaker and the Secretariat. For the purpose of inclusion and in order to simplify its tasks, IA devolved into the following groups: Economic Development Group (with sub-groups on Agribusiness) Education Group (with a sub-group on Primary Education) Health, Safety, and Security Group Infrastructure and Urban Renewal Group Mobilisation, Culture, Re-orientation and Tourism Youth Engagement Group (YEG) Governance & Politics Group
Prior to the implementation of its various plans, the Assembly formally presented its strategy document to the Jegun-in-Council (JIC) and the Ile-Oluji Development Committee (IDC). The report was critically acclaimed by JIC and IA was commended for the richness of its ideas. The JIC subsequently approved that the various recommendations in the report should be implemented by the IA working in concert with the IDC. Sequel to the endorsement and encouragement by the JIC, the IA commenced implementation. Credit must go to Oloye Sola Akinfemiwa (OON), the speaker and main driving force of the IA, who, in the absence of a proper structure, still managed to steer the ship of the IA successfully for seven years. Similarly, Otunba the Venerable Olufemi Oyawale, Dr Babatunde Ogunsusi, Mrs. Adun Akinyemiju, Eng. Sam Adegboyega and Mr Olad Oyewumi deserve accolades for their exemplary leadership roles which helped to sustain the momentum. Special mention must also be made of the support and cooperation of Chief (Mrs) Modupe Ogunsusi, Chairperson of the Ile-Oluji Development Committee (IDC).