Gani Adams lauds Ambode for immortalising Awo with statue

CHIEF Promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams, has commended Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, for honouring the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, by erecting his statue at a very strategic spot in the state, describing it as well deserved honour to the Yoruba nation.

Adams, who is also the National Coordinator, Odua People’s Congress (OPC), gave the commendation in Lagos during a press conference organised to announce the commencement of this year’s Olokun Festival.

“I like to thank the Lagos State government for the honour done to the Yoruba nation by immortalising our adored, celebrated, forever-living leader and symbol of our struggle for a just an ideal society, Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose statue was erected at the LTV 8 end of Agidingbi Road, in Ikeja last week.

“It is an honour well deserved and the government deserves a huge commendation for this initiative. I will at this juncture implore those who have been criticising the features of the statue, to  rather focus on the laudable motive of the Lagos State government for immortalising the late sage,” Adams said.

This was just as Otunba Adams, who is also the National Coordinator of Odua People’s Congress (OPC), called on the Federal Government to take issues that have to do with culture away from the office of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, now under the jurisdiction of Alhaji Lai Mohammed and make it independent of others.

According to Adams, the present arrangement of fusing information, culture and tourism into one single ministry called Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism has caused “serious retrogression to the sector and that the situation could get worse if not quickly arrested.”

“The government should make ministry of culture independent. They should take it away from Alhaji Lai Mohammed because the arrangement is not working. If we are keen on promoting our culture, the government should as a matter of urgency make it independent and give it the necessary attention and funding that it deserves,” Otunba Adams said.

Speaking at this year’s Olokun Festival, he said: “The Olokun Festival Foundation has become an important tourist and local attraction and this I make bold to say, it may not be largely unconnected with the agility and efforts of the organisers of the festival to sustain in our people, their respect for deities.

“It is our collective obligation as a people to ensure that our culture is sustained and Olokun Foundation, through its annual celebration of Olokun Festival among other activities geared towards the promotion of our culture has, in a way, been breaking down the walls of challenge posed by the fear of losing our culture to western education and imported faith that tend to undermine the growth and awareness of our people around our culture,” he said.

Adams, while expressing joy over the turnout concerning the programme of activities, stated that programme would continue with a quiz competition on Tuesday, 4th of October, while the Olokun Beauty Pageant holds on Sunday, 8th of October.

Besides, he said soccer enthusiasts would have the opportunity to savour an entertaining Beach Soccer match on Monday, 23rd of October to be followed by a Boat regatta on the morning of 25th of October as well as an event that has been tagged Olosa Gala Night holding on the night of the same day.

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