Festivals

IPADA carnival to showcase 1,500 African artists, promote cultural tourism

Published

2 years ago

September 6, 2024

The IPADA Carnival, a cultural tourism event, will host 1,500 African artists from 54 countries to promote Africa’s heritage to the diaspora. The carnival, scheduled from Nov. 29 to Dec. 12 at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Lagos, aims to connect Africans in the diaspora with their roots and showcase the continent’s rich cultural and economic potential.

The organisers of the IPADA Carnival, a cultural tourism programme, have announced that over 1,500 African artists from 54 countries will perform at the 14-day event.

Slated to take place from Nov. 29 to Dec. 12 at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Lagos, the carnival aims to promote Nigeria and Africa to Africans in the diaspora and others interested in tracing their roots. “IPADA” means “The Return” in Yoruba, symbolising the return of Africans to their motherland.

Also read: Big boost for tourism as Tinubu becomes global envoy for Ipada Initiative

Mr Salvation Alibor, Co-Founder of XPark360, a financial partner for the carnival, revealed this during a stakeholders meeting, outlining several key events.

The carnival will feature a music festival, the Nefertiti Queen of Africa beauty pageant, and the Ose Awards, which will honour accomplished Africans in various fields.

Additionally, a one-million African meal buffet will showcase diverse African cuisines, offering an immersive cultural experience.

The carnival also seeks to empower the youth, foster community engagement, and strengthen cultural diplomacy.

It has garnered support from the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Tourism, and several state governments.

According to Chief Wanle Akinboboye, the founder of the IPADA Initiative, the carnival will contribute to transforming Africa’s tourist attractions into must-visit destinations through entertainment and infrastructure improvements.

The IPADA Carnival aims to promote Africa’s rich cultural heritage, create tourism opportunities, and position the continent as a global cultural and tourism powerhouse.

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Culture

OLOJO….Ile Ife’s September Gift To Culture

Published

2 weeks ago

October 5, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Halima Adaba,

It was a featubal if the people. It was for the anciebt town of Ile Ife, which the Yoruba race refards as the Source.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

And ut was a festivsl for the King, Arole Oduduwa, Oonirisa, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

And so between September 24 and 28th 2026, the annual featuval dazzjed in all its white glory.

Tge Monarch paid the traditional ancestral homage and offered propitiation as part of the sacred rites of the Olojo Festival.
It was a powerful expression of Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and enduring tradition.

Call it a collection of beautiful moments, faces, colours and cultural expressions.

Every frame tells a story.

Every face carries the energy.

Every moment keeps the heritage alive.

Undoubtedly one of the most sacred cultural celebrations in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It marked a day associated with creation, thanksgiving, ancestral heritage, and the sacred appearance of the Ooni of Ife wearing the revered Aàrẹ crown.

There were also the devotees of the famed god of thunder – Sàngó who were hardly conspicuous at the festival.

Many other traditional groups came out with candor, showing a powerful expression of Yoruba cultural identity, spiritual devotion, and respect for the ancient traditions of Ilé-Ifẹ̀.

Devotees of Sàngó bekieved the ‘appearance’ of the god of thunder on Seotember 26th could be understood as a symbolic meeting of ancestral heritage, spiritual devotion, and the celebration of creation.

It was a moment when the sounds of drums, chants, and traditional praise poetry brought the history of the Yoruba people to life.

Although Olojo is closely associated with Ogun, the god of iron, and the sacred traditions of Ile-Ife, the presence of Sàngó devotees reflected the rich diversity of Yoruba spiritual heritage.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

As a participant enthused at the festival, “To witness Sàngó Olúkòso emerge on Olojo Festival day is to witness a living expression of history, identity, and ancestral pride.”