Petinrin Lays Kunle Odeyemi Indoor Sports Centre Foundation... Reveals Faith in God's Readiness to Complete Projects Attached to Him

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The foundation of the Kunle Odeyemi Indoor Sports Hall was on Monday laid with a ceremony. The Balogun Ijo of the Cathedral Church of St John Iloro Ilesa, Chief Kunle Odeyemi had volunteered to contribute to the infrastructural development of the Ilesa Diocese Heritage City through the construction of a modest Indoor Sports Complex banking on the support of his friends, family and political associates.

Oluseyi Petinrin, a retired Air Chief Marshall in the Nigerian Air Force, who was Chief of the Defence Staff of Nigeria from 2010 to 2012.  representatives former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Ponle and former member House Of Representatives Ijesa South Federal Constituency Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, former member House Of Representatives Ijesa South Federal Constituency, treasurer Osun All Progressives Congress APC chapter, Hon. Femi Kujembola and Chief Mrs Iyabo Fagbulu, Iya Ijo of Saint John Cathedral Church Iloro, Ilesa performed the ground breaking ceremony in the presence of Rt. Rev. Prof. Dapo Folorunso Asaju, the Diocesan Bishop of Diocese of Ilesa, Church of Nigeria and arrays of clergymen led by Very Rev. D. I. Fadugba, the Provost Cathedral Church of St John Iloro Ilesa, friends, family and political associates of Chief Kunle Odeyemi.

Addressing the participants at the ceremony, Rt. Rev. Prof. Dapo Asaju while giving a background to the choice of Ilesa Diocese to venture into the establishment of the Heritage City went down the memory lane as he recounted the unpleasant story of the legal land tussle between Ilesa Southwest Diocese and Ilesa Diocese aftermath of carving out of three new dioceses; Ilesa South-West Diocese with the Cathedral at Holy Trinity Church, Omofe- Ijesa North Diocese with the Cathedral at St Matthew’s Church, Ijebu Ijesa and Ijesa North-East Diocese with the Cathedral at St Paul’s Church, Ipetu Ijesha.

"When Ilesa Southwest Diocese was created the Bishop's office and the Camp ground at Muroko was physically located in their area and for thirteen years the church was fighting itself over landed property...less than two years ago Ilesa Diocese took a courageous decision and gave up the entire premises at Muroko and came back to this land.

"About a century ago, this vast land was given to the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S) for which Missionary Hinderer and Evangelist Agbebi were working when many people had been converted to Christianity.

Emphasizing on the successful and prominent descendants of the generations of Ijesa CMS community that had produced the likes of Apostle Ayo Babalola of the CAC, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi of the Deeper Christian Life, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye the present General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, the Diocesan Bishop of Ilesa Diocese said, "to all Ijesa sons daughters, if your parents made impacts upon your life and you want to immortalize them, we will give you a plot of land on the heritage city with the design to build and name after them. Ilesa Diocese Heritage City is a rally point for those who are passionate about God and their parents."

ACM (Rtd.) Oluseyi Petinrin, in remarks before laying the foundation expressed his agreement with Leader Odeyemi's decision to build the Indoor Sports Complex as he believed that the project is not to aggrandize either the bishop or the donor but for the use of the people of Ijesaland in particular. "I am very impressed once you are doing what God wants, it will definitely happen. God will always give the wherewithal to support HIS project. God is a Faithful God, He will never start something and not finish it." He said as he made an initial financial support donation of a million Naira

Elder Odeyemi, Balogun Ijo of Saint John Cathedral, Iloro, Ilesa, who could not hide his anxiety and feelings of fulfillment of purpose in life, remarked that the completion of the Indoor Sports Complex will remain his most significant achievement in his lifetime as he appealed for support of his friends, family and political associates through donations that can be in cash or kind.

Other dignitaries that were at the event included, Chief Afolabi Igbaroola and his wife, Chief Tayo Omole, Chief Bayo Fagbulu, AVM (Rtd.) Tola Olanrewaju, Dr. Engr. Obi Daramola among others.

Photos: (Script/coverage Oladimeji Lasore +2347035105413 [email protected] )