Skip to main content

Amosun, Dickson laud tourism potentials of Ojude Oba Festival

One of the regberegbe groups at the festival

One of the regberegbe groups at the festival

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has commended the organisers of the annual Ojude Oba Festival, saying it has helped to promote the state government’s tourism drive.

Amosun gave the commendation when he delivered his goodwill message at the event held at the Golden Jubilee Centre, Ijebu-Ode on Wednesday.

The governor said the festival, which commemorates the Muslim Ileya celebration, had over the years gained popularity both nationally and internationally.

“This festival remains a symbol of unity to celebrate the life of our kabiyesi, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.

“It remains a forum to highlight the level of development in Ijebuland being a rally point for all Ijebu indigenes to promote their values.

“It has emerged as one of the frontline events in Ogun state and It is our belief that these festival represents one of the cardinal points in our tourism development agenda.

“It also makes me proud that everyone, even the world can come and see us showcase our culture and tradition in all its grandeur.

“I don’t know of any state that has been able to marry religion with culture and tradition successfully,” Amosun said.

Similarly, the Chief Guest of the event, Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, urged the nation to tap into potential inherent with festivals aimed at promoting tradition.

“Festivals like this should be encouraged in all parts of Nigeria to facilitate tourism, development and to promote our diverse traditions,” Dickson said.

In his message, Oba Adetona commended the corporate sponsors of the event, especially Globacom limited, for sponsoring the festival for the past 11 years.

The monarch urged all tiers of governments to extend the dividends of democracy to the grassroots, saying areas outside the seat of government were unfairly marginalised.

“The first area of development are always the seat of government. There should be equity in terms of development across board.

“We look forward to the change the present national government has promised. They must fulfil their promises to us,” Adetona said.

The monarch added that government could perform better because Nigeria was blessed with a lot of resources.

“We all know the country is presently going through a trying period, but we are proud that Ogun government has been able to keep to fulfil its mandate thus far,” Adetona said.

The Ojude Oba festival, celebrated annually in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, is held on the third day after Eid-el-Kabir.

It is a festival used to promote the cultural diversity of the Ijebu people, who use the occasion to honour their king.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...