Osun state government on Thursday assured residents, participants and visitors coming to the state to grace this year’s Osun Osogbo festival of adequate security.

The state commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon Abiodun Bankole-Ojo who made this known in Osogbo, added that every necessary arrangement had been made to take the festival to the next level by digitising it for promotion.

According to him, “Our government is working seriously on the security aspect, and there will be adequate security during the Osun Osogbo festival this year because if there is no security, there won’t be a festival. This year’s festival will be colourful and remarkable.”

The commissioner highlighted the importance of private partnerships in cultural and heritage tourist centres to achieve the goal, stating that it would make the project more successful.

He further said that Governor Ademola Adeleke is doing his best to provide an enabling environment for tourist sites to boost the state economy.

He said, “Our government has identified all our tourist centres, but we can only address them one at a time. We have about 60 tourist centres in Osun State, but the major ones are 16.

“We have been able to activate some kinetic potential in our cultural heritage and tourist sites. Owala Dam is like an activational creation dam for the people to relax in, featuring canoeing and fishing. Sango Timi Ede in Ede has been prioritized and work is ongoing. Akunugba in Ila and Ife are also in progress.

Tourist and cultural centres are essentially local and mostly owned by the people. We don’t do it alone; we collaborate with the people and work with them to ensure their involvement. Some are religious, and some are social and spiritual. It is the people’s belief that drives them.

“But as a government, our role is to provide an enabling environment and security for our residents. With the ongoing projects in the state, people will be amazed in the next six months.”