Leading financial services provider, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), has congratulated the Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona (CFR), the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of the Ijebuland, Chiefs of Awujale and all indigenes, friends and well-wishers of Ijebuland on this year’s Ojude Oba Festival.
At the press conference to announce the kickoff of the traditional festival that pulls thousands of both indigenes, tourist and guests from all walks of life to the historical city every year, the Bank said it is proud to be a major partner and participant at the cultural masterpiece that equally serves as a distinctive platform to reconnect with the values that sustain the town’s rich history, heritage and industrious uniqueness of the Ijebu people.
According to the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FCMB, Mr. Ladi Balogun, in a goodwill message to the organisers, the Ojude Oba festival is a major platform through which the Bank connects with the community, and promotes the nation’s diversity. He stressed that the festival had become a long standing yearly tradition that the true sons and daughters of Ijebuland and tourists from other climes look forward to, as it equally serves as unifying factor and a tourist attraction.
“FCMB has been a major supporter of the Ojude Oba Festival for more than a decade and it has indeed been a mutually beneficial journey. As a socially responsible corporate citizen, we realise that globalization and social transformation, though essential, could also become a threat to the cultural identity of a people. We also recognize that respect for our heritage is important as a catalyst of cultural diversity and a guarantee of sustainable development”, the CEO stated.
In the same vein, the Founder of FCMB Group, Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun, CON, the Olori Omo-Oba Akile Ijebu, in a message to Ijebu people delivered on his behalf by Mr. Louis Ibe, the Head of Media and Reputation Management of FCMB, thanked and commended the Paramount Ruler, Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona (CFR), for his distinguished andexemplary leadership over the years.
Otunba Balogun further thanked all Ijebus both within and outside the country for demonstrating oneness as a people, urging them to ensure this year’s celebration surpasses previous years’. He also prayed that the Kabiyesi’s reign “should continue to bring joy, prosperity and robust health, all in abundance to the entire Ijebu race, at home and in the diaspora”
For over a century, the Ojude Oba Festival has been an important avenue for promoting the rich Ijebuland’s cultural heritage on the global stage. The Festival attracts tourists from across the globe and Ijebu indigenes in the diaspora, boosting trade and the hospitality sector in the region.
It is observed that the event has remained a unique platform for the locals to promote their wares to a broad range of visitors thus connecting to economic advancement.
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) is a member of FCMB Group Plc, which is one of the leading financial services institutions in Nigeria with subsidiaries that are market leaders in their respective segments. Having successfully transformed to a retail and commercial banking-led group, FCMB expects to continue to distinguish itself by delivering exceptional services, while enhancing the growth and achievement of personal and business aspirations of its customers.
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