'Ogbomoso Gran Fondo, unique, first of kind in West Africa'

‘Ogbomoso Gran Fondo, unique, first of kind in West Africa’

Jeremiah OYELEKE

Adebayo Majolagbe the iconic individual behind the recently held Ogbomoso Gran Fondo has declared that the cycling race was the first of its kind in the whole of West Africa.

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Majolagbe, US-based and a cyclist, made this disclosure while speaking with ogbomosoinsightonline.com at Ogunlola Hall Oja’gbo, the finish venue of the Ogbomoso Gran Fondo (Ogbomoso to Iseyin and back, covering over 150kms), enthusing it was an idea inspired by the activities of the monarch of the town, the Soun, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III.

Adebayo Majolagbe a.k.a. BB making a remark with Soun and Onisapa of Isapa Kingdom Oba Ezekiel Bolarinwa Olajide on seat

Chairman of Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival organising committee Hon Segun Odebunmi with Adebayo Majolagbe

“We staged this event – Ogbomoso Gran Fondo – to support Kabiyesi,” he said. “There has never been something like this in West Africa, it’s unprecedented. People do say we are valiant but we are also pace setters and leaders, that is Ogbomoso people. This is the first of its kind, and it’s held in Ogbomoso.

“We were encouraged to do this because of what our Kabiyesi is doing, activities that motivate people. His Majesty is calling for peace, he is advocating unity, and trying to showcase our culture and tradition and so l felt how can we support him, how can we complement him?

“So, l figured out how l can bring myself into this equation and l looked at the different clubs in Nigeria and l saw they have never had a unified ride, and having had the privilege of participating in a couple of it outside Nigeria l decided to put something like this together. We have the Cradles Carnival that is showcasing our culture and tradition and l thought we need to bring something unique too, we need to add to the flavour, and so l approached a couple of stakeholders in the city, we approached the Cycling Federation of Nigeria and to my ultimate surprise, l learnt they had been trying to put a thing like that together for quite sometime but unfortunately due to one thing or the other they could not do it.

Majolagbe (right)

“l am an Ogbomoso man, we are warriors, we don’t give up, so, l said we are going to make it happen. It is to bring awareness to cycling as a sport in Nigeria. And through this we can talk of some of its benefits, it can create hope in the people, experience what they see on TV. It has lots of health benefits. It is a movement we will see for a long time, to improve sport.

“So, it is our way of saying ‘Kabiyesi well done, this Cradles Carnival you are holding we will stage what has never been witnessed,’ that is the motivation.”

Giving further insight, the Alapa compound, Taraa Ogbomoso-born father of three, informed different other programmes were incorporated including ‘Operation Clean Ogbomoso,’ held to sensitize the people on the importance of cleanliness and keep the city tidy and appealing. Also, school children, he said, were empowered through presentation of school bags and other supplies.

Majolagbe noted, “These children will take over tomorrow and that is why we also allowed children participants in the Gran Fondo. The 25 year-development plan is not for us really but for the future of our children, all we do is to support Kabiyesi. Allowing children cyclists is to get them exposed, and hopefully next year, we will have Ogbomoso children participating too. Those you saw in the race are from outside Ogbomoso. But this will change as we have now let them see that children can participate too. We plan to distribute twenty bicycles to children in Ogbomoso which they can use for training so that by next year some of them can take part. The Gran Fondo attracted prizes for top finishers in different categories as high as ₦1m. It is just to encourage them and it’s just the beginning.”

But it is all a private initiative, he stated, informing, “No, l am the sole organiser, it is a foundation, supported by several people, l am just the face of it. It is my initiative but l have partners. I live abroad and we felt what they do there that bring results let’s replicate some of them here too. Children do it well over there excelling, let’s introduce it here too.”

He stressed there are millions of Ogbomoso people the Soun is inspiring to do things. “If he is not there, l won’t do what l am doing, that is a fact, but l am just one among millions that can come around to stage different things. I told some people a while ago that Ogbomoso is going to be a model city.”

Majolagbe fondly called “BB” said participants came from all over Nigeria for the competition cum social ride including from Lagos, Edo, Ibadan, Ilorin and Abuja, adding, “People would have come from America but because of the insecurity menace in Nigeria.”

Oba Olaoye in his remark at the Ogunlola Hall commended the initiative urging other sons and daughters of Ogbomoso to play key roles through innovative programmes like these to transform Ogbomosoland into a model city.

The Cradles Carnival continues today with activities like Ogbomoso Marathon Race, Oba Ghandi Golf Tourney, different indoor games among others.