Festivals

Lagos Govt Backs 2025 Olókun World Festival

Published

11 months ago

November 5, 2025

Lagos State Government pledges continued support for the Olókun World Festival 2025, celebrating Yoruba heritage and promoting cultural tourism

The Lagos State Government has expressed strong support for the 2025 Olókun World Festival, reaffirming its dedication to celebrating Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and cultural unity.

Also read: Olokun World Festival 2025 Boosts Culture, Economy

Held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the festival also marked the unveiling of Kakanfo Fálọlá Beachside, a new cultural and tourism hub located along the Badagry Expressway near the Seme Border.

The landmark celebration drew over 100,000 participants, including traditional leaders, cultural enthusiasts, and visitors from Nigeria and the diaspora.

Representing the state government, Mr. Idowu Johnson, CEO of the Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, reaffirmed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to preserving indigenous traditions.

“Culture is our soul, while heritage is our compass,” Johnson said. “In Lagos, culture is not a relic of the past but a living force that fosters unity, strengthens identity, and drives innovation.”

He stressed that Lagos continues to champion the protection of cultural identity and values, aligning with the administration’s broader tourism and heritage agenda.

Also speaking, Iba Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, explained that relocating the festival to the new beachside venue was a strategic move to provide a scenic and expansive setting for rituals, performances, and exhibitions.

He further announced the upcoming Olókun Beach Resort, a project designed to boost cultural tourism and position Lagos as a leading destination for African heritage experiences.

“Culture drives tourism,” Adams said. “Through projects like this, we can transform our heritage into a source of economic and social growth.”

The Olókun Beach Resort will feature world-class facilities for worshippers, cultural enthusiasts, and international visitors, serving as a year-round hub for celebration, reflection, and cultural exchange.

Also read: Olokun World Festival 2025 Set to Draw Global Crowd

The event was graced by dignitaries including Oba De-Wheno Aholu Toyi I, the Akran of Badagry, alongside more than 30 traditional rulers and cultural custodians from across Nigeria and the diaspora.

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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.”