THE HISTORY OF IEDA What is known today as IYE EKITI DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, IEDA, started out as IYE EKITI NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, IENA, around 1965, with branches in major in towns and cities across Nigeria where indigenes of Iye lived. Major among these were Lagos, Ibadan, Akure and Ado Ekiti. Apart from holding meetings in their respective chapters, these chapters do come home, Iye Ekiti, every 26th December for their Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The late Kabiyesi Oba E.O. Fakunle was the pioneer chairman of IENA, while Hon. Olatunji Babalola scribed for the body between the inception till 1979. Subsequently, Rev. J.T. Akeredolu took over as he chairman of the National body on 26th December, 1979, and Dr. Oriola Fasanmi became the National General Secretary. On 26th December, 1985, another general election brought in Chief James Adewumi Fasanmi as the President and Rev. Sunday Triumphant Isikalu as the Secretary. Rev. S.T. Isikalu turned out to be the prime mover of the name evolution from IYE EKITI NATIONAL ASSOCIATION to IYE EKITI DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. This name confers a new operational dimension and focus on association. Late High Chief Israel O. Falooro, the Eisaya of Iye Ekiti later became the National President of IEDA. Scribed for by Rev. S.T. Isikalu, who scribed for about seventeen years. The High Chief surrendered the Presidency before his demise in 2013, and the Secretary, Rev. S.T. Isikalu took over as the interim National President for a period of one year. On 26th December, 2015, a general assembly, during the AGM elected Engr. Olufemi Elijah Kupolati as the National President while Mr. Kehide Donald Fakunle became the General Secretary. The new executive elected on this day was an expanded one as some offices that never were were added both for the purpose of re-focusing the body and for a more effective functionality. In total, a total of sixteen offices and four Trustees positions are being occupied by twenty capable indigenes of Iye Ekiti. You can see their names and faces here. |