Aregbesola And The Oodua World Children’s Day In Osun

The Oodua World Children’s Day In Osun

Never before did it happen in the history of Nigeria, but on Monday, 27th of May, 2013 we saw an unprecedented influx of people; pupils, children from other Yoruba-speaking states, politicians and Yoruba monarchs from Nigeria and the diaspora to Osogbo, the capital of the State of Osun.

The crowd was just too great and the gathering witnessed the presence of two of the greatest Yoruba monarchs: the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II sitting side-bý-side for the first time in some many years.

Clearly, this was a demonstration that these royal fathers are in full support of what Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has set out to do.


The children for which the day was dedicated were not spared the excitement of the day, as they were clad in bright colours and beautiful calisthenics displays.

This is indeed a good thing for the state and I want to use this medium to congratulate the Omoluabi governor for this great achievement.

My advice for Mr. Governor however, is that it should not end with this grand display we witnessed on Monday, 27th May, but it should be entrenched into the policy of the state government, so that it would become an annual celebration.

For the governor to bring together over 80 Yoruba monarchs, including two leading ones and children from eight states of the federation, it was indeed no mean achievement.

The Ogbeni should be commended for this and it should be noted that this is no political propaganda, as we were at one time or the other children and we all have children of our own.

We should strive to make life memorable for them, whilst young, so that when they also get there tomorrow, they would replicate it because life is a continuum.

I am positive that what the governor had done for the children was a replication on a grand scale of what he enjoyed too as a growing child in the days of Western Nigeria.
Sadly enough, this special aspect had been missing for years. The only thing that children did on their day (May 27th) was just mere match-past.

It is my candid belief that with the recent event, Aregbesola had successfully made a statement; Children’s Day should be a carnival and not just a mere holiday and match-past.
Let’s give Aregbesola a clap ovation for a job well-done.
Happy Children’s Day in arrears.

source: Osun Defender