Olokun World Festival 2025 will gather over 100,000 participants in Badagry as Gani Adams and Sanwo-Olu lead a global celebration of Yoruba culture
Olokun World Festival 2025 is set to light up Badagry, Lagos, with colour, culture and global participation as organisers project over 100,000 attendees from across the world.
The annual cultural spectacle, now in its 23rd year, will feature Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, traditional rulers, and dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria.
The Chief Promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), and Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, announced this on Monday during a press conference at Oodua House, Ikeja, where he unveiled the lineup for the 2025 edition.
Represented by Barrister Yinka Oguntimehin, Adams described Olokun World Festival 2025 as a “celebration of the Yoruba spirit, the sea goddess, and the enduring values of wealth, creativity, and mystery that Olokun embodies.”
He noted that the festival offers “a unique opportunity to reconnect with our heritage and celebrate the arts, crafts, music and traditions that define our identity.”
The week-long cultural fiesta begins with interfaith prayers on Tuesday, October 21, uniting Muslims, Christians and traditional believers.
\It will feature a fashion show, charity visit to a Motherless Babies’ Home, and a beauty pageant before culminating in the grand finale on Saturday, October 25, 2025.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, and over 30 royal fathers led by the Akran of Badagry, Oba De-Wheno Aholu (Aholu Wheno Toyi I), will headline the closing ceremony. The royal father of the day is Oba Joseph Ikudaisi, the Alagbegise of Agbegise Kingdom, Ogun State.
Adams assured that adequate security measures had been put in place for all guests and participants, while highlighting the festival’s economic and spiritual benefits.
“Beyond the spiritual gains that accompany the Olokun Festival, the economic impact is significant. Every year, hundreds of millions of naira go into organising the event, and the host communities benefit immensely through tourism, trade and hospitality,” he said.
The Yoruba generalissimo also revealed the acquisition of land for the newly named Kakanfo Falola Beach, envisioned as a world-class tourism hub featuring recreation facilities, a mini cinema, hotel, Olympic-size pool, and a festival stadium.
Adams commended members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and all traditional rulers who have continued to promote Yoruba festivals, urging others to follow suit regardless of religious affiliation.
“There is a sharp difference between culture, tradition and religion,” he said. “Promoting festivals boosts commerce, tourism and spiritual harmony, while strengthening our sense of belonging as Yoruba people.”
He also called on the Federal Government to introduce a 5 per cent tax waiver for companies supporting culture, sports and charity, stressing that such incentives would encourage private participation in national development.
Over the years, the Olokun Festival has attracted visitors from Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Brazil, Cuba and the Caribbean, making Badagry a central hub of African heritage and cultural diplomacy.
With Olokun World Festival 2025, the foundation seeks to reaffirm Yoruba pride, inspire cultural preservation, and project Lagos as a global destination for heritage tourism.
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