The Chairman of the planning committee of the 2024 edition of Olokun Festival,Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin on Tuesday said the spiritual contents and gains of this year’s Olokun Festival cannot be overlooked assuring participants that the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF) will continue to contribute to the development of culture and tradition in Yoruba land.
Speaking at the press briefing held at the Oodua House in Ikeja,Lagos, as part of the activities for this
year edition of Olokun Festival, Oguntimehin,who is also the Asoju Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland,said the week-long activities of annual fiesta is loaded with both spiritual and cultural activities.
“This year’s edition is the 22nd edition of Olokun festival.We embarked on the journey at a time when we observed that the Yoruba race was losing touch with their culture and traditions.
“The OFF is indisputably the only non-governmental organisation in the country that has consistently organised more than 20 cultural and traditional festivals every year. It is important to note that we have achieved this feat without the support of any outside or corporate organisation,and I assure you that we will continue to contribute to the development of culture and tradition in Yoruba land.
“This year’s festival,as usual,will begin with prayers to the almighty, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at the Oodua House here. The prayers will be conducted in the three main religions,namely Traditional, Islam and Christianity.
“The deity has mandated its devotees to gather for a vigil between 1am and 3am on the eve of the grand finale. There will also be special prayers for Yorubaland.
“This year, the OFF has decided to get more of the indigenous communities in and around Badagry more involved as participants.
“In doing this, plans are in place to organise the logistics of bringing them to the grand finale.This year’s
festival shall become a major tourist attraction for international tourists in the nearest future. It will be a major boost to the sustainable development of tourism in Nigeria”
In his response, Barrister Babajide Tanimowo maintained further that adequate arrangements have been made to provide security for participants at the event, saying more than 50,000 participants, tourists are expected at the grand finale.
Apart from the Chairman of the planning committee,other members of the committee present at the event include the Secretary General of the OPC, Barrister Babajide Tanimowo,Special Adviser to the OPC,Professor Kolawole Raheem.
Chairman of the Publicity Committee,Chief Segun Ajiboye,
Amb. Gbenga Onasanya,Chief Dauda Asikolaiye,and Amb.Ibrahim Lawal among others.
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