The 2024 edition of the Ojude Oba festival commenced at the Oba Sikiru Adetona pavilion in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, with Governor Dapo Abiodun and other prominent figures in attendance.
This year’s event has drawn about 76 people from various age groups, including state executive council members, captains of industries, and tourists.
Former Governor Olusegun Osoba and Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, representing the Ogun-East Senatorial District of the state, were also present at the celebration.
The Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa-Musawa, disclosed the creation of an economic expansion fund of $100 billion to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of President Tinubu’s administration.
Musa-Musawa, who was represented by the Director of Cultural Industry and Heritage, Rev. Ben Ugo, at the 2024 Ojude Oba Festival held at the Ojude Oba Pavilion in Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday, acknowledged Nigerians’ cultural diversity, noting that the Federal Government is working to make the country a cultural hub by the year 2030.
He also stated that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is considering listing the annual Ojude Oba festival as a World Cultural Heritage.
While speaking, Dapo Abiodun said that his administration was poised to make the Ojude Oba festival a global event.
According to him, the annual event has grown from a mere gathering of Ijebu people to felicitate the Awujale to an event that attracts both national and global audiences.
Dapo Abiodun explained that the festival, which has become a tourist attraction, symbolises and reflects the collective unity of the people known for hard work, perseverance, and industry.
“The Ojude Oba festival is not only a cultural heritage for the Ijebuland indigenes, but it has now become a significant event that attracts local and foreign tourists to Ogun State, showcasing our hospitality and enviable Ijebuland tradition to a national and global audience,” he said.
“This festival serves as a symbol of our unity, tourism, and a rallying point for all the Ijebu sons and daughters to celebrate the life and times of our tradition, culture, and revered monarch.
“It has become a catalyst for the development of Ijebuland, and this undoubtedly underscores the importance of preserving our traditions for future generations.
“By standing for unity and harmony, we elevate our community and set an example for others to follow. Cultural events like this festival willingly embody the essence of unity and harmony in Ijebuland.
“Our administration is deeply committed to supporting the initiative to make it a permanent event in the global tourism industry,” he said.
The governor observed that the event creates opportunities for advancement, bringing about socio-economic development not only for the axis but for the state as a whole.
While thanking President Bola Tinubu for showing interest in expanding the festival, especially with plans to include it in UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage, the governor said his administration was committed to providing a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
He said the festival provides an opportunity for the Ijebu people to take stock and project the future. He called for unity and harmony from people across the state, adding that it was time to work together to build a virile state.
“The state government will continue to create a conducive atmosphere for community development across the state, and I solicit the support of the people, especially all the sons and daughters, towards the 20th National Sports Festival, Gateway Games, 2024, part of which will be hosted right here in Ijebu-Ode,” the governor concluded.
Chief Olu Okuboyejo, chairman of the 2024 Ojude Oba festival, appreciated the governor’s support for the festival and the people’s willingness to turn up enmass to grace the occasion.
