•Giwa, Akogun WALE ANOMO Tells City People
At the just concluded 2022 Ojude-Oba Festival in Ijebu-Ode, Egbe Obayori Okunrin Asiwaju Akile Ijebu came tops as the No 1 Egbe. It is an age-grade group made up of dynamic young guys who are all determined to make their mark in society. For coming 1st in the Regberegbe competition (Male Category), they received a cheque of N500,000 and a huge gold-plated trophy.
A day after their victory at Ojude Oba, City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE got Akogun Wale Raji Anomo to talk about the Egbe he runs and his life as the Executive Chairman, Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA, Epe, Lagos State.
This handsome young man is not only a seasoned politician, he is quite influential within the APC in Lagos.
Below are excerpts of the interview.
Congratulations on your victory at the Regberegbe competition at Ojude Oba. How did you feel when the name of your Egbe was announced the winner in the male category?
I felt happy because that is a big achievement. When you are talking of Regberegbe in Ijebu, you are talking of about over 60 Regberegbes. And coming first is a major victory for us. I feel good about it. It is a rare feat.
How did your members take it?
They are happy also. There is a lot of enthusiasm because we have meticulously prepared for this day, having it in mind that Ojude Oba has not been held for the past 2 years, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We have prepared for it over the last 3 years. Our attire has been ready in the last 3 years. This was the attire we were meant to use 3 years ago. And of course, we used it at this year’s Ojude Oba. We chose the green and white colour to be able to symbolise our country, our great country Nigeria. We wanted to identify with the national flag.
As patriotic Nigerians, we believe the best colour for us, to pick is Green and White. We also put it at the back of our minds that Globacom is one of the official sponsors of Ojude Oba. Of course, this is the Glo colour.
We also went in line with Globacom, to identify with them by using the colour that is synonymous with Globacom Nigeria Limited, one of our major sponsors for Ojude Oba.
What was the criteria used in judging who wins the Regberegbe competition?
There are some criteria and things the judges look out for before they choose the best Regberegbe, like the Punctuality aspect of it. When we came early in the morning we met some of the seniors that had already arrived before us. The rule is that you have to register your presence as an Egbe, and you will not be registered if your Giwa is not there. So, I was around as early as 7’Oclock and all my members were around. We have to wait for about 30 minutes to gather all of them, about 80 of them. We were at the palace at exactly 7.26 am. We signed No 8. That is also one of the criteria. Of course, how you conduct yourself. Comportment.
As the Giwa and the Administrator, I had to instruct them that when they sit down, don’t have the course to stand up again. So we maintained orderliness. It was when the Executive Governor of Lagos State came that I had to stand up to go and honour my leader and my boss. I am a serving Local Government Chairman in Lagos State. And Governor Sanwo-Olu being the Special Guest of Honour for this Ojude Oba celebration, it is a very great privilege that I have to identify with my performing governor, Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. I had to stand up to go and do that. I selected 6 Chiefs along with me to go and welcome Mr Governor to Ojude Oba. After that, we maintained our position. When it was time to pay homage to our father, the Awujale of Ijebuland, the Alayeluwa, we went out en masse, and we maintained our straight line. We all used a matching shoe, and we have the crown monogram on it with a touch of gold, with the same armband, same ileke and we had a similar hand fan and moved our legs just like the normal police parade. And we did it with the utmost sense of responsibility knowing fully well that we are targeting to take the 1st position.
What does it take to be the Giwa of a Regberegbe?
To be Giwa, you have to know the rudiments of Ijebu Regberegbe and you have to be participating in it. Above all, you have to have a lot of charisma to be able to pilot the affairs of the Egbe, It is not easy to be the Giwa of an Egbe. The Giwa of an Egbe is the representative of the Awujale of Ijebuland in all the Egbe. That is why they call them the Asoju Oba or Asoju Awujale in their respective Egbe. So, you can see it is not easy to be a good administrator.
You have to have to be calm and you have to have very good managerial skills. To God be the Glory, I am coping with all of that.
Below is the list of Principal Officers and Members of the Egbe Obayori Okunrin Asiwaju Akile Ijebu: (1.) Giwa Akogun Wale Raji Anomo (2.) Otun Giwa Ayodeji Kuku (3.) Eta Giwa Salami Odunlami (4.) Yori Hon. Muyiwa Aserinkan (General Secretary) (5.)Yori Prince Sheye Adebowale (Asst Secretary) (6.) Yori Adekunle Adetola (Treasurer) (7.) Yori Sesan Otukoya (Financial Secretary) (8.) Yori Comrade Akeem Akilo (PRO) (9.) Balogun Saheed Kafaru (Balogun Egbe) (10.) Bashorun Yusuf Oludaisi (Bashorun Egbe) (11.) Babalaje Gbadebo Alatishe (Babalaje Egbe) (12.) Asiwaju Abiodun Fashina (Asiwaju Egbe) (13.) Agba-Akin Yakubu Owoyele (Agba-Akin Egbe) (14.) Akinrogun Sesan Ogunkoya (Akinrogun Egbe) (15.) Kakanfo Segun Ayeni (Kakanfo Egbe) (16.) Obalofin Babajide Odusanya (Obalofin Egbe) (17.) Seriki Shola Kuku (Seriki Egbe) (18.) Tayese Gbenga Sowemimo (Tayese Egbe) (19.) Aare Francis Adeoye (Aare Egbe) (20.) Bobagunwa Adebola Adebanjo (Bobagunwa Egbe) (21.) Olu-ilu Olumide Kuku (Olu-Ilu Egbe) (22.) Aremo Monsuru Shittu (Aremo Egbe) (23.) Olu-Omo Tijani Quadri (Olu-Omo Egbe) (24.) Ogbeni-Oja Hon. Gbolahan Bakare (Ogbeni-Oja Egbe) (25.) Jagunmolu Olufunmilayo Akinbamiro (Jagunmolu Egbe) (26.) Gbobaniyi Fatai Balogun (Gbobaniyi Egbe) (27.) Apesin Wasiu Odebunmi (Apesin Egbe) (28.) Otun Balogun Kazeem Alakija (Otun Balogun Egbe) and (29.) Asoju Kabiru Salami (Asoju Giwa Egbe).
Members include: (30.) Yori Engr Lanre Alli-Oke (31.) Yori Fatai Okubadejo (32.) Yori Hammed Arowoiyabuna (33.) Yori Ganiyu Adesegun (34.) Yori Kehinde Mayungbe (35.) Yori Rahman Odewale (36.) Yori Idris Muhammed (37.) Yori Adeleke Kosegbe (38.) Yori Kazeem Fetuga (39.) Yori Isiaka Owodunni (40.)Yori Adebisi Salami (41.) Yori Adebisi Olatunji (42.) Yori Gbenga Banjo (43.) Yori Ganiyu Jagunna (44.) Yori Olalekan Afofu (45.) Yori Ismail Tiamiyu (46.) Yori Abiodun Onabanjo (47.) Yori Kazeem Olakitan (48.) Yori Kazeem Kuku (49.) Yori Adewale Odusanya (50.) Yori Alaba Abimbola (51.) Yori Adeniyi Onasanya (52.) Yori Kayode Idowu (53.) Yori Alaba Salau (54.) Yori Olalekan Shonibare (55.) Yori Abiodun Adams (56.) Yori Seun Obalade. (57.) Yori Seun Shobowale (58.) Yori Adebowale Abdul (59.) Yori Sesan Ajibola (60.) Yori Surajudeen Amoda (61.) Yori Kazeem Mukaila (62.) Yori Tajudeen Adesanya (63.) Yori Opeyemi Idris (64.) Yori Fatai Bakare (65.) Yori Abolore Olaniwun (66.) Yori Yusuf Borokinni (67.) Yori Tayo Awoye (68.) Yori Olabanji Oduwole (69.) Yori Hakeem Talabi (70.) Yori Olumide Ogunkola (71.) Yori Tosin Kolade (72.) Yori Yakubu Moibi (73.) Yori Seun Osibajo (74.) Yori Ayodeji Oyewoga (75.) Yori Gbenga Jimoh (76.) Yori Akeem Yusuf (77.) Yori Wasiu Oduyemi (78.) Yori Femi Ajirotutu (79.) Yori Femi Obisanya (80.) Yori Kazeem Olusanya.
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