The formal launch of the International Cocoa Diplomacy took place at the prestigious Royal Over-Seas League House in St James’s, London with many eminent Nigerians and diplomats in attendance.

The dignitaries that attended the event include the host, the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Oba Thompson Adedokun; his wife, Queen Angelique-Monet of Eti-Oni (Founder, NGIA AFI World Peace Initiative); Remi Onasanya of Nigeria High Commission UK; Yemisi Jenkins MBE (Global Coordinator, Friends of Eti-Oni); Ms Eki Oguntoye; Deputy Governor, Osun State, Benedict Gboyega Alabi; Susan Ennis (Board Chairman, Prestat Chocolates, UK); Anthony B. Severin (St Lucia High Commissioner to the UK); Chantal Coady OBE (Board Chairman, Academy of Chocolate, UK); Vata Edari (Founder of Cocovaa Chocolatiers, Wisconsin, USA); Dr. Patrick Adebola (Executive Director, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, CRIN); and Mrs Adebola.

Others in attendance: Miou Fujinaga (former Miss Japan and member New Generation in Action Artisan Festival International World Peace Initiative, GNIA AFI World Peace Initiative); First Lady of Kwara State, Dr. Mrs Olufolake Abdulrazaq; and James Booth (former, Chairman Rococo Chocolates, UK.).

The event themed: Building Bridges for Transformation and Shared Value brought together top government officials, diplomats from Africa and the Caribbean region together with members of the global chocolate consumption nations as well as those of the arts and entertainment.

It was organised by Friends of Eti-Oni as the 6th annual edition and Royal Cocoa Soiree of Arts and Culture in support of the cocoa renaissance initiative and vision of Oba Thompson to transform the rural community of Eti-Oni into a sustainable model smart town.

This was further reiterated by Ms Yemisi Jenkins, Global Coordinator of Friends of Eti-Oni during her Introduction of the organization and how they (being in the Diaspora) were working towards changing the bitter story of cocoa to a sweet one as their contribution to achieve a positive impact in the cocoa production communities.

Gboyega Alabi, Deputy Governor Osun State, Nigeria who was the Chief Host, in his welcome address, congratulated Oloni of Eti-Oni and his wife for their steadfastness and sustaining the enviable status of Eti-Oni, as the oldest Cocoa plantation in Nigeria and described the evening as a great convergence of immense socio-economic importance and value.

He also thanked members of Friends of Eti-Oni and International Cocoa Diplomacy for putting the epoch-making event together, for the economic, social and cultural advancement and cooperation in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large.

He reminded everyone of the historical contribution of cocoa to the rapid development of the then-Western Region and stated: “the mid-1950s recorded great and significant achievements on the strength of the economic value of cocoa in the region. It is on record that the first Television Station in Africa was founded through the proceeds from Cocoa, even before a, European country like France established its first Television Station.

Also, the first generation Universities in Ile-Ife, Ibadan and Lagos were built with proceeds from Cocoa as well as high scrapers like Cocoa House in Ibadan and array of significant infrastructural facilities, as well a huge turnaround in the educational sector in the post-colonial era, through Free Education System, that put the South Western region on the global map of reckoning.”