Lagos Family, Aina Onimole Chieftaincy Foundation, Unveils Community Projects Ahead Of Reunion
The Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family Foundation has announced a series of community development initiatives ahead of its forthcoming Family Reunion in Isale Eko, Lagos.
The Foundation unveiled its plans on Saturday at a press conference held in Lagos in preparation for the reunion.
Speaking at the conference, Chairman of the Foundation, Hon. Hakeem Amode, who spoke through the Vice Chairman of the Foundation, Mr Dehinde Onimole, said that the reunion goes beyond celebration of family ties.
“This reunion is not simply a celebration of family. It is an opportunity to reconnect with our heritage, strengthen family bonds and, importantly, reaffirm our commitment to the development and well-being of the community from which our family has its roots,” Amode said.
Amode explained that the Aina Onimole Chieftaincy Family Foundation was established as a platform for members of the family to contribute to the welfare of the people and development of the community.
According to him, the Foundation’s philosophy is that preserving heritage must translate to positive impact.
“Our philosophy is simple: Our heritage should inspire service, and our family unity should translate into positive impact. We believe that preserving our heritage means more than remembering our ancestors. It also means passing those values on to younger generations.
“Our identity is built on the values of unity, service, respect, responsibility, compassion and commitment to the unity and progress of the family,” Amode said.
Highlighting the activities lined up for the reunion, Amode said that a major highlight is a Free Medical Mission designed to provide basic healthcare services to members of the Isale Eko community.
He said that the medical mission is being undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Eko Club International and will take place at the Olorogun Adodo Family Palace due to availability of wider space.
“This initiative is particularly important because access to basic medical care can make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families,” he said.
He added that the Foundation will also be making a cash donation of N1.5 million to purchase drugs and donate to the Isale Eko Health Centre.
“We believe that supporting existing community health facilities is an important part of ensuring that our contribution continues beyond the reunion itself,” Amode said.
On environmental sanitation, Amode said ythe Foundation will support an environmental sanitation initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to promote a cleaner, healthier and safer community.
“We believe that good health is closely connected to a clean environment. Environmental responsibility must therefore be a collective effort involving residents, community leaders, institutions and organisations,” he stated.
As part of the initiative, the Foundation will donate refuse bins with long-handled brushes and long-handled parkers to twenty Igas (Palaces) for refuse cleaning and storage.
On education and youth development, the Foundation announced support for two levels of institutions in Isale Eko — six secondary schools and six primary schools.
At the secondary school level, the Foundation will support the schools’ Inter-House Sports competition, including the branding of one of the houses as “Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) House” and donation of items such as fully equipped big first aid boxes, medical drugs and trophies.
“We have extended this initiative to the primary school as well, creating an ‘Aina Onimole (Oju Iyewa) House’ and encouraging pupils to participate actively in sports and healthy academic competition like the Annual Spelling Bee.
“This initiative is more than the branding of a school house. It is an opportunity to introduce our family name to a younger generation in a positive way while encouraging discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, confidence and healthy development,” he added.
Amode said that the reunion will provide opportunity for family members, traditional representatives, distinguished guests, friends and well-wishers to come together and reconnect.
He listed the areas of focus to include healthcare and medical outreach, environmental sanitation, education and youth development, community welfare, support for local institutions and preservation of family heritage and culture.
“We want the reunion to serve as a platform for building sustainable relationships and initiatives that can continue to benefit the community,” he said.
Amode expressed appreciation to the Chairman/Olori Ebi of the family, members of the Board of Trustees, the Management Executive Committee and the Reunion Planning Committee for their leadership and dedication.
He also thanked partners, including the Ministry of Health, Eko Club International, the Olorogun Adodo Family, Isale Eko Health Centre, participating schools and volunteers.
“As we prepare for the reunion, our message is clear: We are celebrating our heritage, but we are also investing in people. We are celebrating our family, but we are also serving our community.
“And while we honour where we came from, we are equally committed to building something meaningful for the generations that will come after us,” Amode said.
The reunion is expected to feature family interaction, cultural awareness, youth participation, recognition of members and community engagement.
Earlier in her welcome address at the event, the Head of the Aina Onimole (Oju-Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family of Lagos and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Aina Onimole Chieftaincy Family Foundation, Chief (Mrs) Elizabeth Mobolaji Alabi, called on members of the family to look beyond history and work together to build a lasting legacy for future generations.
Addressing guests, Chief Alabi said that the gathering was historic to the family.
“On behalf of the Aina Onimole (Oju-Iyewa) Chieftaincy Family and the Foundation, I warmly welcome you all to this historic occasion and sincerely appreciate your presence and support,” she said.
According to her, the reunion is an opportunity to celebrate the family’s heritage and reaffirm commitment to service.
“Today, we celebrate our rich heritage, honour our ancestors, and reaffirm our commitment to preserving the values of integrity, hard work, leadership, service, and respect for tradition,” Alabi said.
She explained that the Foundation was established to sustain the family’s legacy through community impact.
“Through this Foundation, we aim to sustain our family legacy by promoting education, youth empowerment, cultural preservation, and community development,” she stated.
Alabi urged family members both at home and in the diaspora to remain united in the pursuit of progress.
“Let us look beyond our history and work together to empower our youths, promote excellence, and serve our community.
“I also urge our family members, both at home and in the diaspora, to remain united in preserving our heritage and building a lasting legacy for future generations,” she said.
She expressed appreciation to royal fathers, family elders, chiefs, members of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, invited guests and members of the press for their contributions.
“I appreciate our Royal Fathers, family elders, Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, and all our guests for their invaluable contributions,” she said.
Alabi concluded with prayers for the family and the nation.
“Once again, thank you all for honouring us with your presence. May God bless our family, our traditional institutions, Lagos State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, another member of the family, Mr Kayode Adegboye said that the programme was motivated by love, family unity and the need to preserve the family’s heritage, rather than any disagreement.
“The programme is being done based on the love we have for one another and not because of any issue,” he said.
Adegboye explained that the family was proud of its royal heritage in Lagos State and was committed to ensuring that its history and traditions were passed on to future generations.
“We always try to preserve our heritage from one generation to another, as our children would take over from us. We are proud to be from a royal family in Lagos State,” he said.
He stressed that preserving cultural heritage was a collective responsibility, noting that Nigerians should be equally committed to protecting their traditions.
“People preserve our culture outside Nigeria, so we also have to preserve our heritage,” he said.
According to him, the foundation was beginning its community intervention with schools in Isale Eko as part of efforts to give back to the area and support the younger generation.
On the spelling Bee Competition, Adegboye expressed concern that the habit of shortening words in text messages could be affecting pupils’ spelling abilities.
He said that the inclusion of Yoruba in the competition was intended to encourage pupils to develop their language skills while strengthening their connection with their cultural roots.
The Vice-Chairman of the foundation, Mr Dehinde Onimole, described the programme as its maiden edition and assured the public that it would be sustained.
“We want to assure members of the public that this is the maiden edition. We will build upon what we are doing today,” he said.
Onimole also expressed concern about the state of the country’s education system and the place of history in school curricula.
He called for renewed attention to traditional values and cultural practices, recalling how earlier generations communicated through signs and gestures.
“When we were growing up, our parents spoke to us with signs. We need to bring that culture back, as we are losing them to modernisation,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, wife of former governor of Ogun State, Chief (Mrs) Derinsola Osoba, who is also a member of the family, urged parents and guardians to teach children respect for elders, saying the value was important for their upbringing and future conduct.
“We should teach our children how to respect elders so that they would not be a problem in the future,” she said.
The spelling Bee Coordinator and a staff of the Education Department in Lagos Island Local Government, Mrs Yemisi Samuel, said that the competition was designed to improve pupils’ spelling, pronunciation and vocabulary.
She expressed concern that some pupils struggled to spell simple words or pronounce them correctly, adding that the competition would provide an opportunity to strengthen their language skills.
Samuel said that the inclusion of Yoruba was also a response to concerns about the gradual loss of cultural identity.
She explained that contestants would compete in both English and Yoruba, giving them an opportunity to improve their proficiency in the two languages.
As part of the programme, first-aid boxes and cups were presented to six primary and six secondary schools on Lagos Island. Holy Trinity Primary School was among the schools mentioned in connection with the initiative.
The event began with an opening prayer led by Apostle Daniel Olalekan, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Lagos Island.
Guests included Chief (Mrs) Mobolaji Elizabeth Alabi, Mrs Funsho Soneye, Ms Bunmi Onimole, Mr Gboyega Olalusi, Kunle Fapohunda, Temitope Kaka and Engineer Lekan Adigun, among others.
