Members of the Tede community under the umbrella of Ajo Omo Tede Parapo Eka Eyin Odi have reaffirmed their commitment to unity, self-help development and sustainable investment in their hometown during the association’s annual get-together and Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan.
The event, which took place on Saturday at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) NUJ Hall, Orita Basorun, attracted prominent sons and daughters of Tede from across Nigeria and the diaspora, who gathered to review the progress of the community, celebrate achievements and strategise for future development.
Speaking at the gathering, former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives in Oyo State, Mr. Michael Akinade Oladapo Akinfenwa, commended Tede indigenes for their longstanding culture of communal support and self-help projects aimed at bridging infrastructural gaps in the town.
According to him, the people of Tede have over the years demonstrated uncommon commitment to community development through several landmark projects executed without relying solely on government intervention.
He listed some of the projects undertaken by the community to include the construction of the police station, post office, town water supply scheme, schools, maternity and health centres, judiciary complex, grading of roads linking Tede to neighbouring communities, as well as electrification projects.
Akinfenwa urged members of the community to sustain the spirit of collective responsibility and continue investing in initiatives that would uplift the town and improve the welfare of residents.
“Development is a collective responsibility, and Tede has shown what is possible when people come together for a common purpose,” he said.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of Ajo Omo Tede Parapo Eka Eyin Odi, Deacon Matthew Kolawole Ogunkunle, described the annual meeting as a strategic platform for reviewing the community’s developmental strides and setting fresh goals for future generations.
He called on Tede indigenes living abroad to remain connected to their roots and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the town through investments in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and security.
“There is no place like home. No matter how long one stays abroad, there will always be a need to reconnect with home and give back to the community,” he said.
Ogunkunle encouraged members of the diaspora to establish companies, schools and hospitals in Tede, stressing that such contributions would leave lasting legacies for generations yet unborn.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Ibadan Chapter of the association, Alhaji Amusa Adebisi, explained that the annual gathering rotates among different chapters of the association to promote inclusiveness, unity and collective ownership of community projects.
He urged members both at home and abroad to remain hardworking, avoid acts capable of causing division and continue to support projects that would enhance the development of Tede.
The meeting was attended by several notable indigenes and stakeholders, including the Vice Chairman of ATISBO Local Government, Hon. Sola Ogundiya; former Vice Chairman of the council, Hon. David Ogunwale; Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Prof. Joseph Ogunkunle; former President of the National Association of Oke Ogun Students (NAOOS), Engr. Wale Ojoawo, FNSE; and renowned land surveyor, Surv. Rafiu Kunle Alabede, FNIA.
Others in attendance were Prince Michael Morolahun, a retired NULGE leader in Oyo State; Mr. Olayiwola Fatokun, a retired accountant from BCOS Ibadan; as well as representatives of Tede indigenes from Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kaiama, Ikorodu, Iseyin and Kwara State, among other locations.
The event ended with goodwill messages and prayers from elders and octogenarians of the community, including Pa Moradeyo Oladebo, Pa Elisah Ogunsanya, Pa Michael Adejumobi, Madam Dorcas Oketola-Ogundiran, Mrs. Mary Ojo and Mrs. Nike Okelola, who prayed for continued unity, peace and successful implementation of resolutions reached at the meeting.
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