Unlike his 60th birthday, which drew a mammoth traffic of dignitaries to his cozy King’s Court hall and exhibited all the trappings of an A-class function, what the Olu of Itori, Oba AbdulFatai Akorede Akamo had at his 61 yesterday was a symbolic event to acknowledge yet another new year.
Dressed in a black Aso Oke fabric embroidered in green and complemented by his wife, Olori Barakat Wuraola Akamo, the traditional ruler was full of gratitude for turnout, despite his earlier resolve to make the occasion an in-house event attended only by his chiefs, family members and close friends.
A better part of the birthday was an interdenominational service among different faiths with clergymen, all praying for Oba Akamo, Olori and the entire Itori for prosperity.
The traditional ruler told TheTabloid.net that he had got to a stage in life that bringing men of God together to pray and preach words of God to his guests was much more important to him than any other thing, saying that what was needed in the country, more than anything else, was prayer and more prayers to salvage situation of insecurity.
“So, it was deliberate that I invited men of God, regardless of faiths, to pray not for me and my household alone but for everybody because we are all in it together. May God answer our prayers. I sincerely thank guests who still made it here despite the fact that I did not throw it open. It is not every now and then one brings people from their different places of work. Still, I thank everybody for this honour,” he said.
Olori Akamo also expressed appreciation, praying for all a safe journey back to their destinations. “It is not easy to always be present at occasions as this. We did not plan an elaborate birthday but people still came to honour us,” she enthused.
A popular social media face on Yoruba propagation, known as Ewa Ede, Princess Adejoke Somoye, compered the event and described Oba Akamo as a rare royal father who, she revealed, picked her from beginning of her career.
“Kabiyesi has always been my father from when I was a baby. He loves our culture and shows that love to everyone who also shows interest in promoting it. He is a big elephant, as far as I am concerned in course of cultural support. I am wishing baba many happy return of the day,” she said.
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