2023 OBARUWA FESTIVAL: Makun Sagamu Agog As 25th Obaruwa Festival Kick Off Today With Marathon/Cycling Race, As Committee Holds Press Briefing, Round Up Day One Event With Interdominational Service

The much-talked about 25th Edition of Obaruwa Festival (Festival of Arts and Culture) celebrated in Makun Kingdom, area of Sagamu Local Government, Ogun State, started today, Sunday 5th of February, 2023, with a marathon and cycling competition among interested indigenes/relatives of the Makun Community, and students from various schools in Sagamu respectively.

The race which begins at 8:00 am, started at the front of the Palace of Ewusi of Makun Kingdom, Oba Timothy Oyesola Akinsanya, and went all the way to our Mother’s Palace, to Igbepa junction, to Folarin Street, down to Ojumele street, up to the turning point at Surulere road, to Akogun Base, to Sagamu Town Hall road and up to the finishing point at Ewusi Palace.

Former winner of “The 2022 Great Sagamu Marathon Race” and also a student of Remo Secondary School (RSS), Sagamu; Sesan Oluwole with race tag number 039, finished the race with a winning record to emerged as the winner in the male category, while Orebayo Oreoluwa with a race tag number 050, a student of Methodist Comprehensive College, Sagamu, finished the race with a winning mark to claimed the winner of the female category, and a Remo born cyclist Asesanya Oluwasegun claimed the first position in the cycling race, while Adedeji Tosin comes victorious in the Makun diaspora marathon race.

Also in the male category, Okey Victor Daniel, student of Gbenga Daniel Model School, with number 093, and Daniel Moses with tag number 073, student of Agbele Community Grammar School, Sagamu, emerged the Second and Third position, respectively. While in the female category; Joel Kindness, a student of Remo Secondary School, Sagamu, with tag number 056, and Ade Precious with number 018, student of Muslim High School, Sagamu, claimed the Second and Third position, respectively, as well as Emmanuel Donatus and Alimi Taiwo claimed the Second and Third position, respectively, in the Cycling race, while Innocent Samson and Ajayi Oluwaseun, emerged the second and third winner, respectively, in the diaspora marathon race.

Genesis Media House reports that the Ewusi of Makun Kingdom, Sagamu, Oba Timothy Oyesola Akinsanya kick start the race, with over 200 athletes came to participate in all categories of the competition, as the chairman of the committee, Otunba Adebowale Atoloye (the Otunba Obaruwa of Makun Land), appreciated them all and encouraged them to keep their head up and not stop doing what they love. While speaking, the Ewusi of Makun Kingdom, Oba Akinsanya encourage all the participants to adds more strength to their professions, noting the likes of Tobi Amusan, Anthony Joshua and other superstars in the sporting athletes started from this stage. “It is on this note that I will urge all participants and the entire youths of this noble Makun Kingdom and Sagamu entirely to desist from all forms of social negativity vices, to tap from the resilient selfless spirit of Oluwatobiloba Amusan, and make the community great again and regain its pride of place in the comity of states. Emulate the doggedness and bravery of the superstars in the sport activities towards achieving great and better results not only for themselves, but also for their family and thier nation as a whole”, Oba Akinsanya added.
In additions, Certificate of Participations were given to all the participants, as well as gifts reward to all the winners of each categories of the race.

Afterhours of the marathon/cycling race, the central planning committee of the 2023 Obaruwa Festival of Arts and Culture, under the chairmanship of Otunba Adebowale Atoloye (the Otunba Obaruwa of Makun Land), held a press briefing, highlighting the program of the events lined up for this year 25th Obaruwa Festival, with the theme “Promoting our Cultural Heritage for a Secured Future”.

The spokesperson of the planning committee and chairman of the Media/Publicity committee, Otunba Kayode Howells popularly known as Baba Kay, outlined the various events for the celebration, spoke on the importance of the celebration on the social and economic development of Makun Kingdom, also commended the good people of Makun for their commitments, supports and participations towards the preparations for this year festival. “The one-week long Obaruwa festival continues on Monday 6th February 2023 with a quiz/debate competition and public lecture, Tuesday for the cultural day, Wednesday for the Royal Dinner and award night, followed by the Miss and Mr. Obaruwa pageantry on Thursday and free medical outreach on Friday, visit to the Heroes tomb and Obaruwa Groove and all up to the Grand Finale on Saturday, 11th February, 2023.

To end up the today’s Day One of the event, an Interdominational service was held at the Ewusi Hall, Sagamu, in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria, Sagamu Chapter, with the Olori of Ewusi, the Committee’s Chairman, Baba Kay, prominent high chiefs, daughters and sons of Makun Kingdom, Sagamu, fully in attendance.