The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Father Matthew Hassan Kukah, will deliver this year’s Akure, Ondo State’s Oyemekun/Ulefunta Festival lecture.
This was disclosed by Prof. Abiodun Ayodele, the Head of Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, and who is the Chairman of the Lecture Committee of the Festival.
According to Ayodele, the lecture, which will take place at the Francis Ibiomiye Hall of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, is slated for 11am on October 5, 2018.
Explaining the rationale for re-christening the Ulefunta festival, Ayodele said though Akure Kingdom, before now, celebrated a yearly festival it called Oyemekun, this year, the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi Oguntoyinbo, Odundun II, and his council of chiefs decided to take the festival a notch higher to celebrate some portions of Akure’s cultural past that are worthy of being brought into modern remembrance.
“One of these is the traditional period of leave of the Akure king called Ulefunta. The Deji decided to celebrate it and impart its lessons on the modern world. Thus, this year’s celebration is tagged Oyemekun/Ulefunta 2018 Festival and one of its highlights is a public lecture,” he said.
The Chairman of the Festival Committee further said the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, will be the Chairman of the lecture, while renowned literary icon and actor, Prof. Kole Omotoso, will be Moderator of the lecture.
He also said the Vice Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Joseph Adeola Fuwape, would be the Chief Host, while members of the academia, the Deji of Akure as well as other monarchs and chiefs and the Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Jude Arogundade, are expected in attendance at this event.
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