Ede To Get UNESCO Tourism Site Soon – Timi of Ede

…Historians, Archaeologists, anthropologist and other experts dig into history of Ede

As a move to put Ede on the map of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, the Timi of Edeland, Oba Dr Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1 efforts are at the advance stage of securing an approval for making the town a tourism site by the international organization for Sango festival.

Oba Lawal revealed this on Thursday at a One-Day seminar on Ede history. The Seminar with the theme “Ede: Revisiting The History of The Warriors” was organized by the Ede Council of Elders (Igbimo Agbaagba Omo Ilu Ede) and Ede Descendants Union, held at the Ede City Hall, Oja Timi to put all narrations about the city in correct perspectives.

The Royal Father disclosed that a proposal submitted to UNESCO on the request to approve Sango Timi shrine as an international tourism site is receiving positive response.

According to the monarch, “UNESCO has replied to our request twice and we are expecting the last final response. A building has also been completed inside the Palace where relics and artifacts collected about Sango and other historical materials collected by archaeologists about the early settlement at Ede Ile would be kept and readily available for tourists to see and admire”, the monarch told the excited audience. Oba Adesola Lawal enjoined residents of Ede and the world to join in this year’s annual Sango festival which would hold October 31, adding that Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke will be a special guest.

The Chairman at the occasion, Alhaji Sulaimon Adebayo, who is also the President of Ede Elders Council (Igbimo Agbaagba Omo Ilu Ede) stressed the essence of strong communality by Ede people.

He said the Seminar was to celebrate Ede people’s heritage, explore the past and learn from experiences that had shaped Ede community.

Alhaji Adebayo who had served variously for years as President of Ede Descendants Union Worldwide argued that “understanding our history is crucial to appreciating our present and shaping our future by examining the triumphs and challenges of our town past”

One of the lead speakers, Prof Aderemi Ajala, an anthropologist from the University of Ibadan, Sango as a fire and thunder diety cannot be separated from the history of Ede.

He acknowledged the economic and security roles played by Sango diety to the ancient town of Ede during the olden days when Ede was founded many centuries ago.

The Don noted that traders from towns in Oyo Empire and neighboring towns who usually came to Ede to trade were assured that their goods and lives were fully secured and protected by Sango the moment they were on the soil of Ede for business trips to the town.

Prof Ajala appealed for a peaceful coexistence between Muslims, Christians and Sango worshippers saying history of Ede revealed the three religions cohabitated with love in peace.

Ajala opined that “by exploring Sango’s role in Ede’s history, we gain a deeper understanding of the intricate relationships between politics, mythology, and culture in shaping the identity of Ede people “.

In his own contributions, a renowned archeologist and culturan historian, Professor Akin Ogundinran, from the Northwestern University, United States, said Ede played an important role in the political expansion of Oyo Empire.

Taking the gathering on video documentary of his research on Ede-Ile (Old Ede), the professor said findings showed that the people of Ede in the early days were warriors and business entrepreneurs with black smithing, pottery, trading and weaving as their major occupations. There was also archaeological evidences that the Ede people lived in Ede Ile for some 236 years (1600-1836) before relocating to the present Ede.

Earlier, in his keynote address, Emeritus Professor, John Ayoade, a great son of the town, said a developing town like Ede needs to put in place some measures in order to manage its expansion and its fast rate of modernisation.

Professor Ayoade said the influx of non indigenes into Edeland for business and residential settlement must be properly managed in compliance with international global standard.

The erudite Professor of Political History recommended what he dubbed Community Peace Cabinet which will be in charge of monitoring and maintaining cordial relationships with neighborourng towns.

Among other things, Prof Ayoade further suggested the establishment of a Standing Committee that will be in charge of land transfers, creation of local security vigilantes who would be working in synergy with relevant government security agencies.

In his own brief contribution, a renowned legal luminary, Chief Adeniran Adetoye, The Aare Baamofin of Edeland, referred to a legal resolution of some land matters which were permanently adjudicated on by the Supreme Court during the reign of Oba Adetoyese Laoye, an erstwhile Timi of Edeland. He said such a watershed pronouncement by the apex court of Nigeria is an integral part of Ede which should be prominently included in the proposed compendium.

Chief Adetoye lauded the initiative and the brains behind the seminar saying the gathering served as a forum to refresh memory of those who know the history of Ede and to inform the younger generation.

An Islamic leader, Alhaji AbdulLateef Adekilekun, the Waziri of Yorubland commended Timi of Edeland for providing the needed leadership in actualizing the modern Ede of today.

He urged organizers of the seminar not to exclude contributions of Christianity and Islam, alongside with compilation of Sango and other deities in the evolvement of Ede while compiling the official compendium as an outcome of the Seminar.

Welcoming the participants, the National President of Ede Descendants Union, Prof Ademola Olaitan said the objective of the Seminar was further enlighten the public and share knowledge from the elderly and experts in the history of Edeland and Yorubland.

It is aimed that information gathered will be documented for the benefits of our children and those coming after us with great expectations and knowledge that will change the perspective of many.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Seminar , Chief Dr Ayodele Adeyemo, the Asiwaju of Ogobi-Ede, noted that all contributors have shed intellectual lights into the history of Ede, it’s people and neighbors.

He assured the participants that all presentations, submissions, documents from interested individuals and organizations would be harmonized and published as a Compendium which will be a document of reference on the history of Ede. Chief Adeyemo charged the youths in the town to be more scholarly and research oriented on developmental issues.

He thanked Oba Dr Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, Laminisa 1, Timi of Edeland for bringing intellectual endowment to the throne, an assset which has brought more unity and patriotism to Ede.

Blaze Newz gathered that, other key figures who participated in the seminar spoke to the gathering on different narrations that form the history of Ede.