Festivals

Nwonyo Festival Returns After 14 Years Boosting Taraba Tourism

Published

6 months ago

April 13, 2026

Nwonyo Festival returns Taraba tourism revival after 14 years, boosting local economy, culture, and attracting national attention in Ibi

The historic Nwonyo annual traditional fishing festival in Ibi, Taraba State, has returned after a 14-year hiatus, marking a major cultural revival and renewed push for tourism and economic development.

Also read: Blue Lagos Rolls Out Grassroots Engagement in Waterway Communities

The festival, which was last held in 2010, made a celebrated comeback in April 2024 following interventions by Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas, who has prioritised cultural heritage as part of his development agenda.

The Nwonyo Festival, which traces its origins to 1816, is one of Northern Nigeria’s most iconic cultural events and was founded around the discovery of Lake Nwonyo by Buba Wurbo, the founder of Ibi.

Over the years, the festival evolved into a major tourism attraction featuring competitive fishing, canoe racing, masquerade displays and traditional performances that draw visitors from across Nigeria and beyond.

Its suspension in 2010, driven by security concerns and economic challenges, had a significant impact on the local economy, particularly affecting traders, hotel operators and transport providers in the host community.

The return of the festival in 2024 restored Ibi’s cultural vibrancy, attracting thousands of participants and high-profile attendees, including former Defence Chief Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma.

Local businesses reported increased commercial activity during the event, signalling early signs of economic recovery linked to the festival’s revival.

State officials say the restoration of the Nwonyo Festival forms part of a broader strategy to reposition Taraba as a leading cultural and tourism destination in Nigeria.

They added that cultural festivals are now being promoted as economic assets capable of driving investment, job creation and international visibility for the state.

Preparations are already underway for the next edition scheduled for April 17–18, signalling the government’s commitment to sustaining the festival as an annual event.

Also read: Blue Lagos Rolls Out Grassroots Engagement in Waterway Communities

For residents of Ibi, the revival of the Nwonyo Festival represents both cultural pride and renewed economic hope after years of silence.

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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.”