Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The National President,Iyara Development Association, Alhaji Tunde Aliu Badaki has called on the indigens of the kingdom not to leave the development of the community to government alone.

” We must contribute our own quotas as individuals, organisations irrespective of where you reside as government alone cannot provide all the facilities needed for comfortable living”

The president was speaking on Saturday on Iyara at the 28th edition of the annual Iyara day and fund raising event for infrastructural development, especially to rehabilitate schools and reti ulate water to various parts of the community.

Held at the Iyara Town Hall and Civic Center, Unity Street, the event brought together people from all walks of life who came all over the world to be part of the epoch making event.

In his welcome address, the National President, Iyara Development Association (IDA), Alhaji Tunde Aliyu Badaki, described the event as the finest where the rich cultural heritage of Iyara people are displayed to the world.

Badaki said it was a unique event as it is purely indigenous and a unifying factor .
The National President disclosed that the importance of the event could not be overemphasized as it is a means of preserving the rich cultural heritage handed down from generation to generation .

Importantly, Badaki said, the event was organized to raise funds for community development purposes, noting that many of the amenities being enjoyed are from such raised funds.

He however said community efforts were still not enough to address shortage of infrastructural facilities which made it imperative to tag the 2022 edition of Iyara Cultural Day: a – One hundred million naira Education and Water Development Fund.

This ,he said, was for the purpose of rehabilitation, reconstruction as well as provide facilities for education and water.

He assured that the fund to raised would be judiciously utilised just as the previous ones have been well accounted for as he urged all and sundry to donate generously.

Prior to the commencement of the main event,IDA had commissioned and handed over an Administrative Block to the management of Iyara Community College .

While commissioning the Administrative Block ,the Olujumu of Ijumu Kingdom, Oba Williams Ayeni said putting the building in place has become necessary as there were not enough buildings to cater for the needs of teachers and students, adding that the available few were used as classrooms.

The royal father who appreciated IDM’s effort, pointed out that teachers would henceforth be able to discharge their responsibilities to the best of their abilities in view of the provision of an enabling environment.

In his goodwill message during the event, Oba Ayeni said Iyara Day has come to stay in the last 28 years , noting that many have keyed into the developmental purposes for which it was set up.