The 10th Coronation Anniversary of HRM Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Emugoriade I, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, further reinforced the monarch’s commitment to education and human capital development with a Coronation Public Lecture and an education intervention initiative aimed at inspiring students, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting teaching and learning across Igbogbo Kingdom.

The event featured the presentation of educational prizes to students, alongside the donation of 10 laptop computers to the 10 public secondary schools in Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA under the Adeboruwa Education Interventions Initiative.

The programme is designed to promote academic excellence, strengthen teaching and learning, and provide sustainable educational support that will continue to benefit students and schools across the kingdom beyond the anniversary celebration.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Adeboruwa at 10 Planning Committee, Prince Adesegun Ogunlewe, said the 10th coronation anniversary was being celebrated because the reign of the Adeboruwa had brought remarkable progress and development to Igbogbo Kingdom.

According to him, the Education Interventions and Legacy Project is one of the committee’s most significant initiatives as it provides a foundation for regular educational and community development programmes in Igbogbo and its environs. He explained that the public lecture topic was deliberately selected to expose students to ideas that would inspire them to pursue academic excellence, embrace entrepreneurship, and become responsible leaders. Ogunlewe added that the legacy project would continue to drive meaningful developmental interventions long after the anniversary celebration.

The Executive Chairman of Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, Omo’ba Hammed Olalekan Aroyewun, described the public lecture as one of the most important programmes of the anniversary celebration, stressing that preparing today’s students for tomorrow must remain a collective responsibility.

He noted that Nigeria is currently facing economic challenges, unemployment, insecurity, and other social issues, making it imperative to equip students with practical knowledge and vocational skills alongside formal education. He urged students to become productive, innovative, and entrepreneurial, adding that practical skills often provide greater opportunities for self-reliance than academic qualifications alone.

Aroyewun also commended the anniversary committee for selecting a lecture topic that addresses contemporary societal realities and called for stronger collaboration among government, traditional institutions, and other stakeholders to create opportunities that would stimulate economic growth and social development.

Chairman of the Public Lecture Committee and immediate past Executive Chairman of Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, Builder Olusesan Daini, paid tribute to the impactful leadership of Oba Kasali, saying the monarch’s commitment to education and human capital development inspired the committee to organise the public lecture and education legacy project.

He disclosed that the committee would provide a ₦1 million start-up grant to students with outstanding entrepreneurial business ideas in honour of the Adeboruwa. According to Daini, the initiative is intended to encourage innovation, enterprise, and self-reliance while celebrating the monarch’s immense contributions to education and economic development in Igbogbo Kingdom.

Also speaking, the Principal of Oreyo Senior Grammar School, Mrs. Fashiku Oluwatoyin, described the lecture as highly impactful, noting that both teachers and students benefited immensely from the presentations.

She said students shared valuable lessons they learnt from the lecture, particularly on agriculture and entrepreneurship, adding that the laptops donated to schools and other educational materials presented during the programme would greatly enhance teaching and learning. She commended the organisers for investing in the future of students and prayed for the continued good health, wisdom, and long reign of the Adeboruwa.