By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, has described Okemesi town in Ekiti West Local Government as the link between Yoruba nation and Ekiti State.
He said the Ekiti Parapo War which was fought in the ancient town between Ibadan and Ekiti warriors was the longest civil war in history of this country.
The Speaker made this disclosure at the state Secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital during a press briefing on Ekiti Parapo Festival billed to hold on October 2-5 at Okemesi Ekiti this year.
While commenting on the bravery and commitment of the people of Okemesi, Afuye stressed that the town has produced a good numbers of professors and professionals in different fields who have contributed immensely to the development of the society globally.
He further said that without Okemesi community, the history of Nigeria cannot be completed due to their bravery and the sealed to delivered Ekiti people from those Ajeles from Oyo axis.
Hon. Afuye was also suggested as a matter of urgency that the ninth National Assembly should amend the nation’s constitution for the re-introduction of History in educational curriculum in the country.
He maintained that the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida that expunged History from the curriculum did that out of ignorance and wrong impression that the uniformed men would continually dominate the country’s politics.
He said, “The expunction of History shows that the struggle for the restructuring of Nigeria continues because each state should be able to legislate on its own educational policy. History is very important in the life of any nation.
“Unfortunately, our curriculum did not allow History. Even if we don’t study European history, let us know that of our own.
“History must be brought back. We did not create ourselves and it is right for us to know our links and Nigerians must tell the National Assembly as representatives of the people to rework the constitution to bring it back.”
Afuye said the state assembly won’t hesitate to enact a law backing Governor Kayode Fayemi’s pronouncement that History must be reintroduced into Ekiti’s education policy.
In his comment at the event, the Director-General, Ekiti State Council of Arts and Culture, Amb. Wale Ojo-Lanre, said the state government is committed to revamping the Arts and Culture through supports for town’s festivals.
According to him; “Okemesi represents a town where Ekiti’s unity, freedom and patriotism began with Ekiti Parapo War. The peace treaty of 1886 was instructive that we must remember our dead heroes,” Ojo-Lanre said.
Delivering his speech, the Chairman, Okemesi Cultural Heritage and Tourism Development Committee, Prince Kayode Oni, said the festival is a memorial package of events to honour what the Ijesha and Ekiti warlords, led by Fabunmi Adesoye-Oraralada of Okemesi and Ogedengbe Agbogungboro of Ijeshaland did at the Ekiti Parapo War of freedom.
He disclosed that; “If we have not joined forces, the Ekiti nation would have become non-existent. Hence, the need to celebrate and promote unity, courage, and patriotism and also to plant those virtues and make them an undying tradition will a view your evolving society of courageous and selfless people.”
He mentioned some of the personalities be honoured at the ceremony which includes; the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; the Speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly, Hon Afuye; Chief Afe Babalola, SAN; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; the late governor of the old Western region, Major Gen Adeyinka Adebayo, his predecessor, the late Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, Director General, National Council of Arts and
Culture, Mr. Segun Runsewe, among others