The Aareonakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, said the 13th Edition of Eledumare Festival is meant to appreciate what God has done in the lives of Nigeria and to also serve as potential for tourism in the host communities and the state as well as the country.
The Yoruba generalissimo said this while flagging off the 21-day event, which commenced on Sunday and will run till Tuesday, April 22, 2025, with various programmes, including Media Briefing/Luncheon, Prayer to Almighty God, Taekwando Competition, Visit to Blind School, Visit to Motherless Home, Table Tennis Competition, Ayo Olopon, Fashion Show, among others.
Adams, who is the Chief Promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation, OFF, said through cultural and traditional activities, God can also be appreciated, expressing the organization’s resolve to “always make sure that it promotes the culture and tradition and even tourism in our community, the state and the country.”
He said: “The festival is to appreciate what God has done in our lives and to even let people know that we can appreciate God through cultural and traditional and not only through religious programmes and activities. And this festival will create commerce in the host communities and the state, and it is also a potential for tourism.
“We have been doing this programme for the past 13 years and even during the time of COVID-19, we managed and made sure that Eledumare Festival was organized.
“Olokun Festival Foundation, OFF, will always make sure that it promotes the cultures and traditions and even tourism in our community, the state and the country.”
The Yoruba generalissimo, while noting that OFF had been interested in promoting cultural festivals at international level, disclosed that the organization would soon hold a festival in Brazil around May, to be followed by two others in Senegal and the Republic of Benin respectively.
“Olokun Festival Foundation has been interested in promoting cultural festivals at international level, soon there would be a festival in Brazil around May.
“We will try as much as possible to have a programme in Senegal too this year to be organized by Olokun Festival Foundation. We are discussing with our partner in Benin Republic to have their own Olokun Festival and we believe that the least these two or three Olokun will be held outside Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Prof. Kolawole Raheem, said with the level of planing of the festival, and also based on determination of the host communities that would organize each programme, it would be the most organized festival in the history of Eledumare Festival.
“This year’s Eledumare Festival will be the most organized festival in the history of Eledumare Festival based on the level of planning as well the determination of the host communities that would organize each programme. Olokun Festival Foundation will organize the best Eledumare Festival this year, I can assure on this,” he said.
