Foundation mobilises 200 Obas for Olokun cultural festival

The Chief Promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams revealed this while addressing journalists at a press briefing thatheralded a week-long activities to mark the annual cultural festival.According to Adams, plans have been concluded to ensure that the number of Obas who normally attend the festival increase to 200 this year so as […]

The Chief Promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams revealed this while addressing journalists at a press briefing that
heralded a week-long activities to mark the annual cultural festival.
According to Adams, plans have been concluded to ensure that the number of Obas who normally attend the festival increase to 200 this year so as to drive home the essence of the annual festival.
“The Obas are the true custodians of cultures. And they should see themselves as so. The Obas are quite central to the successful hosting of Olokun festival because they are the ones who can promote cultures and issue that relate with tourism. When the Obas do this, their sons and daughters in diaspora will be motivated to return home and to that extent, there will be financial gains and developments in their respective domains,” Adams said.
The Olokun Foundation Initiator also said plans are on the way to bring in Chinese investors who are willing to partner local organisers to invest $50 million in raising the profile of the festival and the construction of adjuncts projects.
“We have made arrangement to partner with Chinese investors on this project, and we are appealing to Lagos State Government to fast track the process of the documents of the land so that the project can commence next year. The project will cost nothing less than $50 million,” Adams said.
He further called on the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to recognise the annual festival by listing it on its World Heritage site just like it did for the annual Osun-Osogbo Festival.