FG promises to ensure Ojude Oba festival gets UNESCO’s approval

The Minister of Culture, Art and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa-Musawa, has said the Federal Government will activate plans to list the annual Ojude Oba Festival in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, as one of the festivals backed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

This is just as Musa-Musawa also said that the annual festival is in tune with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda mandate for the ministry, which seeks to take revenue generation from tourism to over $100bn by 2030.

The minister, who was represented by the Director of Cultural Agencies and Heritage, Dr Ben Anama, disclosed this while speaking on Tuesday at this year’s festival held at Awujale’s pavilion, Ijebu-Ode.

The festival, which showcases the rich cultural heritage and endowments of the people of Ijebuland, is celebrated every third day of Eid-el-Adha.

The theme for this year’s  celebrations is “Ojude Oba: Unity and Harmony, Our Gift.”

The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who is the chief host, was present to receive over 100 age grades group of males and females (Regberegbes) decked in colourful attires, who came around to pay annual homage to the traditional ruler.

Horse riders who are from the warrior families in Ijebuland were also on hand to thrill the fun seekers to various acrobatic displays with their horses.

The minister described the annual festival as a platform that fosters the unity of the country in diversity as well as one of the country’s tourism potentials that can be tapped into to diversify the economy from oil and generate more resources for the nation.

She said, “In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the ministry will always collaborate with stakeholders to promote, preserve and protect the rich cultural heritage of our nation to ensure it reaches its enviable height according to our vision for the Ministry called destination 2030.

“This vision considers the potential in arts, culture and creative economy in terms of its ability to create economic expansion. Our ambitious goals are predicated on this drive which is capable of yielding over $100bn, an increase in the gross domestic product by the year 2030.”

She said that the presidential renewed hope agenda, especially for the ministry, demonstrated an unwavering commitment to diversify the economy and move away from the country’s over-dependence on oil revenue.

While rejoicing with the sons and daughters of Ijebuland over the success of the festival and the good image it has given the country over the years, Musa-Musawa said that she had also observed that the festival had not gotten any elements of UNESCO approval as one of its approved festivals.

The minister said that the status of a festival like Ojude-Oba, with its profound impacts on the tourism sector of the country, “deserves to be listed by the international body”, vowing to activate all the processes to get this done without further delay.

Speaking at the event, the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, hailed Ojude-Oba and described it as a festival that has given Ijebuland and, indeed, the people of Ogun State a distinct identity.

Abiodun said the festival has become a catalyst for the development of Ijebuland land, and this underscores the essence of preserving our rich cultural heritage.

While rejoicing with the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and other sons and daughters of Ijebuland over this year’s celebrations, the governor promised to partner with the Federal government to develop the festival and make it a global tourist attraction and destination.

The governor said that the theme of the celebration was quite apt as unity and harmony remain the bedrock of any thriving society calling for a more united force to lift the country out of its present woes.

Dignitaries at the event included former governors of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and Senator Gbenga Daniel currently representing Ogun East at the Senate.

Others were the Deputy Governor, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Sen Shuib Salis representing Ogun Central at the Senate, the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Daisi Elemide, wife of Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mrs Abosede Adelami, wife of former President of Nigeria, Mrs Bola Obasanjo, the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, among other distinguished Nigerians and guests.