The President-General of the apex socio-cultural organisations in Ibadan, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Sulaimon Ajeniyi Ajewole, has disclosed that the Annual Ibadan Cultural Festival is aimed at attracting tourists as well as showcasing the economic potentials of the indigenous city.
He said it would also facilitate unity and togetherness among the indigene and residents of the city.
He spoke while addressing a press conference called to announce the series of activities mapped out to celebrate the festival.
Ajewole submitted that the city has the potential to be the leading economy in the Country.
The economic potential of the city, according to him, will create employment opportunities for the teeming youths as well as boost the Internally Generated Revenue of the state.
Flanked by the Chairman, 2025, Ibadan Festival Committee, Chief Abiola Alli, among other top officials of the Council, the PG said the festival would also promote unity among the over 240 affiliate clubs while also exposing youths to the beauty of the culture of the land.
According to him, “Our aim is to promote our past heroes. Ibadan is a city that was formed by warriors, and therefore, we like to showcase each of them every year.
“It also gives opportunity to Ibadans in diaspora to come home, to see by themselves the development and growth of Ibadan, and to also increase the economic growth of Ibadanland, because when we have this annual festival, a lot of economic activities, buying and selling, creation of artifacts and things like that happens and it contributes to economic growth of the land.”
Giving details of the activities lined up for the celebration, the Chairman, Ibadan Festival 2025 Committee, Chief Abiodun Alli, said the Council had earlier paid a royal homage to the Olubadan to seek his royal blessing for the festival.
He said other activities include: Jumat Service, medical outreach/ distribution of palliatives to pre-registered members of the affiliate clubs (Friday, May 9th), Amala Day (Saturday May 10th), Church Thanksgiving service (Sunday May 11th) Education and Talent hunt programme (Monday) Youth conference, stage play, beauty pageant, Business Dinner, Ibadan conference and March past which will be the grand finale on Saturday May 17th.
Chief Alli explained that while the Business dinner while bring together Chief Executive Officers and top business mogulsl to rub minds with owners and operators of Small and Medium Scale Entrepresis, to open their eyes to business and investment opportunities in the city, he noted that the Ibadan Conference will focus on land matters and encouraging the people to stop outright sales of land.
He said, “The business dinner for this year is strictly a business dinner because we have invited top CEOs in various organizations, both within Ibadan and outside Ibadan. The chairman of the event is Chief Mrs. Samson, the Managing Director of BOVAS. And of course, the keynote speaker on that day is Dr. Habib Olamitoye, the owner of Ibadan Central Hospital and Academy Suite Hotels.
“They will be sharing insights into their success stories and helping mentor young business owners and those interested in doing better.
“On Friday, we are going to come back here for Ibadan conference. And our focus on Friday is on land. Land is our own good in Ibadan land. We are going to focus on land. We want a situation where we discourage people from selling the same land to two, three people. That is going to come up here.
“And of course, we also encourage our people to lease their land rather than sell their land to outsiders. And we have invited all the stakeholders in this area to this place. The managers, the Baales, the judges, the police, all the people that are involved, the buyers of land, the sellers of land, our own son in Ibadan land.
“We are going to have a keynote speech on that particular day, and Barrister Musbau Adetumbi, SAN, will give the keynote speech on Friday. And on Saturday, that will be the grand finale, where all of us will go to the Liberty Stadium. And there will be three events that will happen that day. One is the parade of the clubs. And we are going to pick the first, the second, and the third. And of course, we have several musicians. They are actually the brand ambassadors for this year’s festival.
“All of them are going to entertain us on that day. And apart from that, they have also produced a single for Ibadan. And that single will be launched on Saturday.”
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then