Why we sponsored 18 festivals in Yoruba land —Gani Adams

The Are Ona kankanfo designate and the Grand promoter of Olokun Festival Foundation, Otunba Gani Adams has declared that his passion for the cultural – tourism emancipation of the pristine cultural legacies of the founder of Yoruba race actuated him to sponsor and promote 18 festivals in Yoruba land.

The Are Onakankanfo designate made this revelation while commenting on the preparation for the 2017 Olokun festival which its grand finale events commence today in Badagry

In an exclusive interview with TTH, Otunba Adams revealed “The move to establish Olokun Festival foundation was really actuated by the fashion at which we were fast losing the value of our festivals and culture. My brother, I was provoked to inaugurate Olokun Festival when our people were being overrun by the terrible indoctrination that our festivals were fetish, diabolic and of no economic value. In Iseyin, Oro, Epe, Lagos, Ibadan Kogi, Ola – Orangun, Arigidi ,  the indoctrination nearly led to the abandonment of some of the precious festivals which were not only reminders and preservers of values, norms, unique entertainment, songs, dances, chants and mores . I cannot just stand there allow this to happened during my life time. So we decided to inaugurate the foundation and the promotion of these 18 festivals in Yoruba land.”

“ For the past 12 years , we in the OPC have been promoting and financing these festivals without anyone coming to our aid either as government or private sectors where as we see many of these multi- national corporations and even government dishing out millions of naira in events that devalue our culture “

He disclosed “we are going to make statement with 2017 Olokun Festival scheduled to hold in Badagry at Sultan Beach. We are expecting over 48 traditional rulers from Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Togo, and Ghana.”

Otunba Adams said “These 18 festivals haav been of immeasurable blessings to Yoruba race, the host towns and the people. You need to see the number of tourists that will converge on Badagry and its environment from yesterday, today, tomorrow and those who will stay to explore Badagry after the festival. Think of the economic and business benefits which these large numbers of festival migrants will bring into Badagry. This and others is to tell you the need for us all to enhance our festivals and culture so as to tap the economic benefit of tourism”