IITA Director General in return visit to Baale of Araromi
The Baale of Araromi Idi-Ose, Chief Rahman Adebayo Sakariyau, chiefs, and members of Idi-Ose land—the host community of IITA—welcomed IITA’s Director General Nteranya Sanginga, Deputy Director General Corporate Services Hilde Koper, and other management staff, as they paid a return visit to the Baale, and his community.
In his welcome remarks, Chief (Engr.) O.W.A. Ajagbe, one of the kingmakers, thanked the DG and his team for returning the visit. He appreciated the genuine interest and acceptance of the hand of friendship the community extended to the Institute after 50 years of IITA’s existence in their land, Idi-Ose. He said the community looks forward to a smooth and more committed relationship with IITA.
DG Sanginga and the IITA team in deliberations with the Baale and chiefs
The Baale paid a courtesy visit to IITA’s DG on 15 April 2021, along with nine representatives from Idi-Ose land, one of the Institute’s host communities, to acknowledge the Institute’s contributions and support to the community. At that meeting, the Baale conferred a chieftaincy title of “Bobajiroro of Idi-Ose land” on the DG to show the community’s appreciation and gratitude to IITA. He also requested IITA’s help in doing more for the community by providing a public health center, public toilets, regrading of their roads, IITA shopping plaza, employment for indigenes, and water points.
Sanginga, in response to the requests, proposed that a meeting with the Baale and his chiefs be scheduled for another time to enable IITA management to carry out a needs assessment to decide on IITA’s further contributions to the community.
DG receiving his chieftaincy beads.
During deliberations at the meeting, Hilde Koper, who went over the list of requests by the community, said IITA management added ‘solar power supply’ to the list after its team carried out some needs assessment in the community. She also emphasized that some requests like ‘IITA shopping plaza’ were replaced with ‘a training center’ for the community.
Sanginga explained that the needs are long-term projects and have to be prioritized by the community while the Institute helps in the execution one at a time.
The IITA team with the Baale, chiefs and community representatives.
Closing out the meeting, DG Sanginga presented his letter accepting the chieftaincy title by the Baale, after which he was presented with the Yoruba traditional beads for his neck and wrist as a sign of his new status as the “Bobajiroro of Idi-Ose land”. The Baale also announced the conferment of “Iya Bobajiroro of Idi-Ose land” on the wife of the DG, Charlotte Sanginga.
Resource Mobilization, Protocol and External Liaison Manager Toyin Oke, made closing remarks on behalf of the IITA team, including the Head of Security David Oluwadare, FMS Head Waheed Quader, Deputy Head Femi Akeredolu, and Heavy Equipment/Fabrication Services Office Head Buraimoh Bamidele. She thanked the Baale and members of the Idi-Ose community for their warm reception and interest in IITA.
A tour of the proposed site for some of the projects.
The IITA team was given a tour of the proposed site for some projects by the Baale, chiefs, and community members present at the event.
