Ijakadi 2024: Offa Community Unveils 10Billion Ijakadi Arena and Cultural Centre

By Busy Brain

The Offa Community in Kwara State has unveiled a prototype layout of the 10 billion Naira Ijakadi Arena and Cultural Centre.

The project, which is in tandem with the Community Developmental Philosophy, is planned to be completed within two years for the benefit of the entire community.

The unveiling of the project took place at the grand finale of the 2024 Ijakadi Offa Festival held at Olofa’s Stadium on Saturday 28 December 2024.

In his goodwill message, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Okikiola Ajagungbade l Esuwoye ll extends gratitude to Olofa in Council, Council of Elders, Offa Honorary Chiefs, Princes and Princesses, sons and daughters for the prayers and support for the success of 2024 Ijakadi Festival.

Kabiesi noted that the true meaning of the event is ageless, timeless and can never be banished from the community’s tradition and culture. He therefore urged Offa sons and daughters to continue to sustain the fundamental culture of equity, fairness, and justice and pass it down to the next generations for them to be in conformity with their lineage projections towards improving Offa global image.

Speaking on Ijakadi Arena and Cultural Centre, Kabiesi said the facility in addition to serving as a permanent venue for the annual Ijakadi Festival will also function all year round as a hub for the community’s vibrant cultural activities and keep custody of the town’s historic records. While the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ijakadi Arena and Cultural Centre to take place in the second quarter of 2025, Kabiesi tasks Offa sons and daughters to be financially focused and committed towards achieving the project within the time frame.

The monarch equally elaborated on the ‘Omo Offa Ni Mi Scheme’ which is aimed to ensure data-driven decision-making towards enhancing service delivery.

Kabiesi said the successful implementation of the scheme would entail introducing technology into local government system administration and birth e-governance in Offa.

“The initiative would fast track the information of Offa into a smart city by 2030 under my Offa Tun Tun Agenda,” he stated.