Prominent sons and daughters of Imesi-Ile in Osun State have concluded arrangements to make this year’s inaugural “IMESIDE” Festival and Award/Honour a colourful and memorable one in the community.

    The Coordinator, Imeside Diaspora Initiative (IDI), Prince Kola Bamigbade, who made this known on Tuesday while speaking on the preparations made so far on the programme, hinted that various activities had been lined up for the people of the community who distinguished themselves in their various endeavours and had worked assiduously to sustain the unity of the town.

Prince Bamigbade  who recalled that at least five kingdoms, as a result of human dispersal viz Imesi-Ile have been established and have agreed to celebrate Imeside festival rotationally among themselves, beginning with Imesi-Ile (Osun State) this August, listed  other kingdoms as Imesi-Ekiti, Okemesi-Ekiti (Ekiti State), Imasayi and Olu-Isa (Ogun State).

    He further disclosed that the 2012 edition  would be a two-day programme and that it was scheduled to hold from Friday, 17 August,  with Jumat Prayer at Central Mosque would be held at 1:00 p.m., while a lecture titled “Imeside Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, is slated for 2:00 p.m. and will be  delivered by Prof (AMB) Akinjide Osuntokun, cultural parade holds between 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., while the day’s events will be rounded off with a night vigil (Praise and Prayers)Scheduled for 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
   

“The event of Saturday 18th August, 2012 will climax the various programmes for Imeside festival 2012. Imeside Diaspora Award and Honour will reverse the Yoruba adage that “Prophets are not honoured in their communities” as illustrious sons and daughters from the kingdoms would be honoured in the presence of prominent Yoruba.”

The coordinator, however, listed those expected to grace the occasion as Asiwaju of Yorubaland, General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd), as the Chairman of the occasion, while Ooni of Ife,  Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, the Alaafia of Oyo,  Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, the Obokun of Ijesaland,  Oba Adekunle Aromolaran,    the Awujale of Ijebuland Oba Sikiru Adetona,  as royal fathers of the day.
    The host Royal Fathers are;  Oba  Enoch Ademola Akinyemi, the Owa-Ooye of Imesi-Ile, Oba Michael Adedeji Gbadebo, Owa-Ooye of Okemesi,  Oba Adesola Gbadebo, the Owa-Ooye of Okemesi,  Oba Adesola Gbadebo Oni, Oni Imasayi, Oba Rasheed Adesanya, Olu-Isa of Ijebu-Ode.