Members of the Tede community, under the umbrella of Ajo Omo Tede Parapo Eka Eyin Odi, have reaffirmed their commitment to unity, self-help development, and sustainable investment in their hometown during the association’s Annual General Meeting and reunion held in Ibadan.
The event, which took place on Saturday at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) NUJ Hall, Orita Basorun, attracted prominent sons and daughters of Tede from across Nigeria and the diaspora. Participants gathered to review the community’s progress, celebrate achievements, and strategise for future development.
Speaking at the event, a former Oyo State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Michael Akinade Oladapo Akinfenwa, commended Tede indigenes for their enduring culture of communal support and self-help initiatives aimed at bridging infrastructural gaps in the town.
According to him, the people of Tede have, over the years, demonstrated remarkable commitment to community development through several landmark projects executed without relying solely on government intervention.
He listed some of the projects undertaken by the community to include the construction of a police station, post office, town water supply scheme, schools, maternity and health centres, judiciary complex, road grading projects linking Tede to neighbouring communities, as well as electrification projects.
Akinfenwa urged members of the community to sustain the spirit of collective responsibility and continue investing in initiatives that would uplift the town and improve residents’ welfare.
“Development is a collective responsibility, and Tede has shown what is possible when people come together for a common purpose,” he said.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of Ajo Omo Tede Parapo Eka Eyin Odi, Deacon Matthew Kolawole Ogunkunle, described the annual gathering as a strategic platform for assessing the community’s developmental strides and setting fresh goals for future generations.
He called on Tede indigenes in the diaspora to remain connected to their roots and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the town through investments in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and security.
“There is no place like home. No matter how long one stays abroad, there will always be a need to reconnect with home and give back to the community,” he said.
Ogunkunle also encouraged members of the diaspora to establish companies, schools, and hospitals in Tede, stressing that such contributions would leave lasting legacies for generations yet unborn.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Ibadan Chapter of the association, Alhaji Amusa Adebisi, explained that the annual gathering rotates among different chapters to promote inclusiveness, unity, and collective ownership of community projects.
He urged members both at home and abroad to remain hardworking, avoid actions capable of causing division, and continue supporting projects that would enhance the development of Tede.
The meeting was attended by several notable indigenes and stakeholders, including the Vice Chairman of ATISBO Local Government, Hon. Sola Ogundiya; former Vice Chairman of the council, Hon. David Ogunwale; Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Prof. Joseph Ogunkunle; former President of the National Association of Oke Ogun Students (NAOOS), Engr. Wale Ojoawo, FNSE; and renowned land surveyor, Surv. Rafiu Kunle Alabede, FNIA.
Others in attendance included Prince Michael Morolahun, a retired NULGE leader in Oyo State; Mr. Olayiwola Fatokun, a retired accountant with BCOS Ibadan; as well as representatives of Tede indigenes from Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna, Kaiama, Ikorodu, Iseyin, and Kwara State, among other locations.
The event ended with goodwill messages and prayers from elders and octogenarians of the community, including Pa Moradeyo Oladebo, Pa Elisah Ogunsanya, Pa Michael Adejumobi, Madam Dorcas Oketola-Ogundiran, Mrs. Mary Ojo, and Mrs. Nike Okelola, who prayed for continued unity, peace, and the successful implementation of resolutions reached at the meeting.
