As an 8-year old, I remember clearly the events leading up to March 30, 2002 & the significance of that day on the field of Christ Apostolic Grammar School, Iperu. My father, Alayeluwa Oba Adeleke Idowu Basibo’s journey in life had witnessed an interesting turn. Fate had made him pack up his “Lagos-Customs-Officer” life for a new one. Sighs…it was surreal, hard to understand but a new reality to embrace. It has been 20 years since the beginning of that “new life” & there is no doubt that the interesting turn of Year 2002 was him divinely fulfilling purpose.
I have been part of this journey all through. I grew up in Iperu & had my formative education in its environs. The growth Iperu Akesan has witnessed in the last 2 decades is unbelievable. And one of the realities we have come to understand is a social construct I have coined “Iperu Excellence”. It is the knowledge that Iperu sons & daughters, home & abroad, across different generations will continue to remind the whole world of the greatness of the land of Akesan by shattering glass ceilings & pushing frontiers in every sphere of life. This construct came to my knowledge as I studied the giant strides of my father’s subject, in & outside Iperu. I decided to document & showcase them under an initiative called “Iperu Tourism” leading to Alaperu’s 20th coronation anniversary.
When I embarked on this project 20 months ago, all I had was my conviction & the co-sign of my Board Chair, Oyinkansola “Foza” Fawehinmi who was ready to ride with me again despite the fact that our first rodeo in 2017 suffered a setback. I am grateful for the acceptance, applause, encouragement & support this initiative has garnered. I am energized knowing this is just the beginning.
It has been an interesting ride reminding every Iperu stakeholder of the last 20 years of the reign of my amazing father on the throne of Iperu Akesan. Kudos to the Monarch for making himself available for divine service to humanity. I am sure he looks back in retrospect & sees that it was all worth it. An unprecedented 20-month project(#AlaperuAt20) of historical significance that began on July 27, 2020 reaches a crescendo these next 7 days. It is celebration galore in Iperu. LONG LIVE THE KING!
Signed :
Omoba Bola Basibo(MBA)
Curator – #AlaperuAt20
Visionary – #IperuTourism
Convener – Iperu Millennials Network
Visionary/Founder/EVC, The Sales Brothers
