The Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Lagos State, Arch. Gbolahan Oki has been officially crowned as the Ogboni Iduntafa from the Ogboni Iduntafa Chieftaincy Family of Isale Eko, Lagos Island.
The coronation ceremony held on Wednesday also witnessed the opening of a new Ogboni Iduntafa Family Palace by Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Ogboni Iduntafa is one of the oldest custodian institutions deeply rooted in the traditions of Lagos Island. It represents a lineage of spiritual authority, communal guardianship and ancestral continuity.
At the commissioning of the palace, Arch. Oki said his official coronation and the new palace embodied the cultural value and history of the Lagos Island people and that of the Iduntafa family.
He promised to remain focused in upholding and preserving the culture the chieftaincy title represents.
He thanked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for contributing to his rise in the civil service and the family for his emergence as the Ogboni Iduntafa.
“This coronation is the next step in my life. I want to thank Mr Governor and the people that surrounded me. God showed me uncommon favour because in less than four years, I was given four promotions. I became two times general manager of LASBCA, I became permanent secretary and now the Ogboni Iduntafa
My vision is to remain focused with integrity. This palace belongs to all the generations of this royal family including those unborn. It is a symbol of shared history, collective pride and enduring cultural value. This has strengthened our resolve to honour history. May this palace serve as a beacon of unity and prosperity for Lagos and our people. I promise to continue upholding and promoting the culture of our people, Oki said.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his remarks commended the Iduntafa family for bringing modernisation to Lagos Island with the construction of a modern palace.
“This palace will serve as encouragement to others and bring a touch of modernisation to Lagos Island. This shows that Lagos State is rich in culture and serves as an education for the younger generation ,” Sanwo-Olu said.