The grand finale of the 2017 celebration of the annual Ibadan festival concluded on Saturday at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan. YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE reports that the festival which was filled with activities to show the rich cultural heritage of the land also served as a reminder of the importance of taking pride in ones heritage and was a reunion ground for family and friends.
The Ibadan Cultural Festival also known as the Okebadan Festival is an annual event that brings the sons and daughters of Ibadan land home to celebrate their roots and pay homage to the founders of the city, thereby keeping memories alive and teaching the young ones the importance of their culture. Like previous celebrations, the 2017 edition was filled with pomp and pageantry as indigenes gathered in their thousands to celebrate the memory of their forebears.
The Oke’badan festival was indeed a colourful event as various social clubs turned out in diverse colouful regalia to stage their parade and the masquerade in their various costumes added to the beauty of the festival which was attended by political industrialists, the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and his cabinets and eminent Ibadan indigenes and their guests from diverse states who showed up as a proof of their solidarity and goodwill.
The 2017 edition, themed, ‘Advancing our heritage’ is not different from previous editions, rather, this year’s programme pulled a huge crowd and it took place with a panache that defied the prevalent economic situation in the country. Indeed, many forgot their sorrows in the festivities of the Okebadan festival and had a spectacular time as various groups put up show stopping performances in various uniforms to thank God for witnessing another edition of the festival and also affirm that though many of the sons of the land had left home, they have not forgotten their roots.
The pillar of the festival was erected by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) a body of more than 187 clubs, having discovered that the next generation needs to understand the essence of their culture and heritage before it is eroded and becomes moribund especially in the face of the growing penchant for Western cultures by the Nigerian youth.
They deemed it fit to have a platform to exhibit the cultural wealth of the people of Ibadan and the values that unite them especially considering that the town is the acclaimed political headquarters of the South-West region and is also rich in history.
The festival, meant to appreciate the sanctuary the hill provided during the war years and remind the people of Ibadan of the scarificesof their forebears on the hill towards making the town an unassailable town is strictly an Ibadan affair. And it is meant to encourage peace and smooth cohabitation among the people of Ibadanland.
As part of activities marking this year’s Ibadan Cultural Festival, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), honoured 25 individuals including Senators Fatai Buhari and Hosea Agboola, for their contributions to the growth of Ibadanland.
Speaking at the grand finale of the festival, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, who is an Ibadan man that is proud of his heritage, called on all Ibadan indigenes to have a positive change of attitude toward the development of the city, environment and government policies, lamenting the unpleasant attitude of indigenes to the development and cleanliness of the city.
He expressed his concern that the people show lackluster attitude towards issues that can aid the development of the town which is also the state’s capital and urged them to support government policies as Ibadanland can only develop through collective effort.
The governor described Ibadan as the historical home of warriors who conquered several wars in the past and liberated the town from marauders and other towns seeking to take it over.
“We have to brace up to uphold the legacy as the society demands today. Our own war today should be for the development of the city, against indiscipline and poverty,” he said.
Senator Ajimobi further lamented the act of selling goods on the streets, adding that such destroys the environment and government had continually preached against such but people refuse to heed and support government efforts to rid the streets of clutter.
According to him, the state government has begun the enforcement of its environmental laws and anyone who flouts the law would be punished accordingly under the law.
“Our society will be better for it if the people embrace the right attitude. It is difficult for any government to do it all alone without the support of the people. “Investors can only come into the city if the environment is clean and attractive,” the governor concluded.
Also speaking, the President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Wole Akinwande, who could not hide his joy at the turnout witnessed during all pogrammes that were held to celebrate the festival, commended the governor for the signing of the Oyo State Real Properties Protection bill into law.
He further lauded the governor for the progress made so far on Ibadan Master Plan and urged the people to make cleanliness of the city a way of life and inculcate it into their children, adding that the council’s “Clean Ibadan” programme carried out during the festival was to encourage the people to embrace the habit of cleanliness and make it a way of life.
On her own part, the Chairperson of the Ibadan Cultural Festival 2017 Committee, Princess Olaide Salawu, called on Ibadan indigenes to always strive for the growth and development of the city and maintain the rich heritage left by their forebears.
“If you have been so much blessed in Ibadan, then this land is your Jerusalem. Don’t let it be a one day affair. Seek for the peace, cleanliness and advancement of Ibadan land and all who love her shall prosper,” she said.
Activities that added glamour to the festival which commenced on February 2 includes cultural displays by diverse groups, quiz competitions, debate, operation make Ibadan clean, stage plays, Ibadan beauty pageant, Oke’badan day, Ibadan conference and many other educative and entertaining events.
Present at the occasion was the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Chief Adebayo Akande, members of Olubadan-in-Council, members of the State Executive Council as well as Ibadan sons and daughters in huge numbers. It was indeed a time for the people to thank God for his blessings and protection over the last year while showing pride in their heritage over in a wonderful burst of colour.
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