A cultural festival aimed at promoting the tradition and culture of the people would be organized in Ogun State.
The State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun disclosed this at this year’s Ojude Oba festival with the theme, “A Lesson for Religious Harmony”, held at Ijebu-Ode, saying it would take the shape of the Ojude Oba celebration.
According to the governor, the Ojude Oba Festival has the pride of not only the Ijebus, but the entire Ogun East, adding his administration is looking at how it would make a statewide cultural festival like the Ojude Oba, that would bring people from all parts of Ogun State to showcase their arts and culture as a means of promoting unity.
“This festival no doubt is a unifying factor for the entire people of Ijebuland, defining our greatest culture in the most eloquent manner.
” This year’s festival presents a unique opportunity to display our hospitality and enviable tradition to a national audience and the global community.
” As a government, we are taking a lead from this festival, we are going to ensure we now begin to look at having a state wide festival like these.
” Let me emphatically state that the scope of the Ojude Oba festival which is a socially rooted in culture and communal creation has now become something that has now improved the social economic development of our state,” he said.
He described the annual festival as a cultural and spiritual event, which has become a pride to the ijebuland and serves as a rallying point for the indigenes of the area, assuring that the state would witness more developmental projects during his second term in office.
Thanking the people of Ogun East senatorial district for supporting the election of President Bola Ahmed tinubu during the last presidential and governorship elections, the State helmsman commended the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, for his efforts towards the enthronement of good governance in the country and for promoting peaceful co-existence across Ijebuland
In his remarks, Oba Adetona appreciated governor Abiodun for his sterling leadership qualities since assumption of office, saying his administration has given equal treatment to all sections of the State.
Also speaking, the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, Chief Clement Okeowo, urged the federal government to reconstruct the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in order to attract more investment into the state.
The Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe in his own remarks said the return of over 3,000 indigenes of Ijebuland to take part in the yearly event underscored the importance of the festival, urging other states to take a cue from Ogun State.
Highlights of the Celebration was paying of homage to the Awujale by 76 different cultural and age groups as well as horse displays by chieftaincy houses.
