OLIKAN OF ILAJE-ETIKAN WELCOMES SYNOD DELEGATES TO ODE-ETIKAN

His Imperial Majesty Oba Temidayo Solomon Owoyele, Akintimehin II Grand Commander of the Order of Oghonne, the Olikan of Ilaje-Etikan Kingdom, Etikan Council of Chiefs and all Etikan descendants home and abroad welcome the Lord Bishop of Diocese of Ilaje Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to Ode-Etikan, the tidiest traditional headquarters in Ilajeland and headquarters of Ilaje-Etikan on the occasion of the 2025 Anglican Synod.

According to the official release from the palace which reads, "On behalf of Kabiyesi and all the good people of Etikan Kingdom, we welcome the Lord Bishop, the clergy and laity of the Anglican Communion in Ilajeland to our serene and beautiful traditional landscape, a land divinely irrigated by the hands of Edumare. As the people of God converge in our town for the next three days, to deliberate on the progress of the church and the advancement of truth and justice within the body of Christ, it is our fervent prayer that unity, blessings, peace like the ocean, grace as of old will not elude his people and the entire Ilajeland". Kabiyesi Olikan wishes the Synod a peaceful deliberation which will redefine the virtue and value of his people within and outside the church, to make the society more habitable.

This year's Synod holds at St Luke's Anglican Church, Ode-Etikan, the headquarters of Etikan Archdeaconry and incontrovertibly the oldest church in Ilajeland. Founded on the indigenous missionary efforts of Prince Agba Oriretan Ikumapayi (who later became the Olikan of Etikan from 1866-March 23, 1922 and the first Ilaje monarch to accept Christ and be baptized as John) around 1854-58, the church is reputed for being an incubator for champions both in the body of Christ and in secular knowledge. The church helped in the birth of one of the oldest primary schools in Ilajeland, the United Anglican Primary School Ereke-Agba on January 12,1903 which produced eminent personalities like Prof Kola Kusemiju former Dean of Faculty of Science, University of Lagos; Prof Abosede Iyun(first Ilaje woman to become a professor at university of Ibadan; Hon Theo Iwajomo first Ilaje man to become the head of service and secretary to old Ondo State Government; Ebun-olu Adegboruwa SAN among others.

Signed:

Amb. (Sir) S. Ola Ajimisan Knight of the Order of Oghonne & Ilaje Cultural Ambassador