Indigenes of Offa, in the Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, including those in the diaspora, have expressed their determination to promote the annual Ijakadi festival of the ancient town, both within and outside the country, with the aim of enhancing the socio-economic development of Offa and its people.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Thursday as part of the 2023 annual Ijakadi festival programs, themed “Culture as a Catalyst for the Socio-Economic Development of Offa,” members of the media sub-committee for the festival and the Offa Council of Honorary Chiefs emphasized that patronage and investment in the festival could significantly boost economic activities in the community.
Aare Abdulwaheed Olagunju, the Chairman of the Media Sub-Committee of the festival, called on the federal government to allocate resources, both financial and otherwise, to help the event reach its full potential in contributing to the GDP of the area.
“We believe our people would profit from the festival, through culture, tourism, and the economic activities it brings. You can imagine the impact organising this festival will have on our GDP. Everything used in the festival, from chairs, stages, artisans, transportation, printers, food vendors, aso-oke, and beads for exhibition, will be sourced from Offa, thereby improving the GDP of Offa. If all these businesses thrive, they’ll become taxpayers, and that’s where the government can benefit. There will be a multiplying effect of investment from the festival,” he said.
The community also appealed to the government to include the Ijakadi Offa festival in the list of national festivals promoted by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) due to its consistency and rich cultural content, which showcases Offa’s cultural heritage to the outside world.
Following the trend of past years’ events, the organizers mentioned that preparations for subsequent editions have evolved to not only place Offa on the world map but also attract innovation.
“The Ijakadi Festival has become an attraction, drawing culture enthusiasts over the years, especially from the diaspora who join the domestic patronage, turning Offa town into a lively hub every year. We appeal to the Honourable Minister to support the Ijakadi festival and put all the necessary mechanisms in place to ensure that tourism in Kwara State receives the desired attention to attract patronage and investment for boosting economic activities.”
As mentioned in the opening lines, culture is a powerful human tool for survival, yet it is also a fragile phenomenon, constantly changing and easily lost as it exists only in the minds of its custodians. Therefore, we do not want the Ijakadi Offa festival to become extinct. We hope it can be classified alongside its peer festivals such as the Argungu Fishing Festival (Kebbi), Eyo Festival (Lagos), Iri Ji Ohu – New Yam (Igboland), Osun Osogbo (Osun), Ojude Oba (Ogun), Sango Festival (Oyo), and the Olojo Festival (Ile-Ife).
Regarding the significance of wrestling to the people of Offa, the organizers expressed their hope to promote competitive wrestling in future plans, alongside traditional or symbolic wrestling, in order to attract more interest from within and outside the country.
“Ijakadi festival showcases our culture, displays our history, portrays heroism, encourages healthy competition, courage, perseverance, and good health among our people.”
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