The Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, Olusegun Runsewe, has said the Ojude Oba festival remained a boost to tourism development in Nigeria.
Runsewe stated this on Friday during his speech at the 2023 Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu-Ode, while commending Governor Dapo Abiodun for bringing investors to the state through the festival.
He said, “Today marks a new brand for the entire Ijebu people both at home and the Diaspora. Ojude Oba has become a brand of developing culture and tourism in Nigeria.
“Yesterday, I was so happy that at the airport over 3,500 Nigerians came back home because of Ojude Oba festival. This has continued to make the festival a global one.”
Also speaking at the event, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, called on the governor to fix dilapidated roads within Ijebuland.
He stated, “I pray God would grant the governor good health to continue to bring more dividends of democracy to every nook and cranny of the state. Ijebu has never failed and we will not fail, this will not be our last celebration. Other states should take a cue from Ogun State that has a museum right inside the palace; it’s a unique thing that has happened to the state. The museum is of international standard.”
Abiodun stated that the festival had brought about the cultural values of Ijebu people, saying it was a unifying factor to the entire Ijebuland.
He added, “It is an opportunity to display our hospitality to the world. It promotes our tourism sector. We are going to look at having a state-owned festival like this which will bring overall growth to the state.”
The Special Guest of Honour, Dr Clement Okeowo, who is the Chairman, Gibraltar Construction Company, used the occasion to call on the Federal government to fix the remaining portion of the Sagamu–Benin Expressway, especially the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode axis.
He said Ijebu people were known for promoting culture and being industrious.
