80th Birthday/25th Coronation Anniversary: High Society Celebrates Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun

By Eric Elezuo

The playground of the Ogunmodede Secondary School, Epe, Lagos, was a beehive of activities on Saturday as it played host to the epoch making 80th birthday and 25th coronation anniversary celebrations of the paramount ruler of Epe Division, the Oloja of Epe, His Royal Majesty Oba Kamorodeen Ishola Animashaun.

The event was a conglomeration of the high and mighty in the society cutting across politics, religion, tradition and enterprise, as well as ethnic orientation.

Celebrated all week, the city of Epe witnessed the presence of the creme de of la creme of the society led by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who in his earlier goodwill message via his social media handle to the monarch, hinted that the octogenarian, who had reign a quarter of a century over his people, deserves every accolades that he gets.

“Oba Animashaun deserves all the accolades for his impactful and purposeful life, especially in the last 25 years of his reign as the Oloja of Epeland. He is the epitome of dedication and selflessness in community service,” the governor wrote in part.

During the week, just before the mother of all mega parties, marking the grand finale of the series of events, the monarch in his benevolence had sponsored a free medical outreach at the Epe General Hospital in addition to the distribution of food palliatives to indigenes of the land as a step to checkmate the current economic reality. The distribution of the palliative was conducted simultaneously across four areas in Epe to avoid stampedes.

Thereafter, a coronation lecture themed, The Future of Traditional Institutions in Nigeria: A Reframing of Current Realities, was held at Jubilee Chalet, Epe, and was delivered by a former Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Olarenwaju Fagbohun on Tuesday.

Also at the lecture, the former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, commended Oba Animashaun for his unwavering commitment to transforming his community into the next commercial hub in Lagos.

The monarch also conferred chieftaincy titles on three individuals in the community on Friday.

The following day was a pot pourri of activities with a line up of A-list dignitaries gracing the ancient city of Epe.

The event that was devoid of much speech, but rooted in merriment and royal interaction, was anchored by standuo comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, with levels of musical entertainment from the ageless Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, Queen Salawa Abeni and Beejay Sax. Each of the performers gave a standard that kept the royal guests mostly on their feet as they generated to sounds of yesteryear as well as seranades that energises the consciousness.

Among the cynosure of the occasion was the spellbounding ambience of the hall as Sapphires Event unleashed decorative class on the facility, giving colourful touches, with gold radiating superiority.

The expertise of Dew Drop Cakes was visible as the anniversary cake told the story of opulence and royalty in its elegant multiple steps, with reflexes and shades of gold.

Among the notable individuals, whose presence dignified the event were Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwolu, and his wife, Ibijoke Sanwolu; Deputy Governor Babafemi Hamzat, Mr. Hakeem Muri Okunola, Chief Rasaq Okoya & wife, Shade, Justice Sola Oguntade, HRH Oba Oniru & his Olori, Mariam, HRM Oba Saheed Elegushi, HRM Oba Adewale Shotobi, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu; HRM Oba Semiu Orimadegun, the Kasali of Igbogbo; Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Hon Abiodun Tobun, Otunba Lekan Osifeso & wife, Princess Vicky Hastrup, Aare Gani Adams and Otunba Lai Oriowo.

The occasion spared no expense as guests were treated to sumptuous local and intercontinental delicacies as well as choice beverages.