Ololade Adeyanju/
The Gold City Event Centre, Ilesa, will on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, host a landmark event as Ijesaland honours Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi (AOF) at 70.
More than a birthday celebration, the occasion will witness the official launch of the Ijesa Development Fund (IDF), endorsed by His Imperial Majesty, Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko III.
Proceedings open at 10:00 a.m. with a symposium themed “IDF Project Operations and Management.” Fasuyi, stepping beyond the role of celebrant, will deliver the keynote lecture, outlining the Fund’s operational framework and highlighting systems for transparency, accountability, and measurable community impact. His presentation is expected to serve as both a development masterclass and a rallying call to Ijesa sons and daughters worldwide.
The highlight of the launch will be the presentation of ICDA–IDF cheques to ward executives across the six Local Government Areas of Ijesaland. This inaugural disbursement marks the transition from vision to action, setting in motion a framework for financing grassroots initiatives in education, health, infrastructure, and economic empowerment.
With royal backing and the presence of eminent community leaders, the launch of the IDF is positioned as a binding social contract—one designed to institutionalise communal wealth for sustainable development.
Chairman of the Planning Committee on Media and Publicity, Sir Folu Olamiti, described the event as “a convergence of honour, vision, and action—where ideas meet implementation and leadership meets legacy.”
While part of a week-long birthday fiesta, AOF @70 is expected to be remembered as a generational turning point for Ijesaland. The day will close with a colourful social evening featuring the Ijesa Juju Music Queen, Sola Testimony Band.
More than a party, the celebration blends royalty, intellect, and community aspiration. For Ijesaland, it signals the beginning of a new era—history in motion.
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