World tourists to converge in Lagos for Olokun festival
HUNDREDS of tourists from different parts of the world will on the 24th of October 2019 converge in Badagry, Lagos State for this year’s edition of the annual Olokun festival.
This was disclosed to newsmen on Monday by the chief promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation, Aare Gani Adams, who also added that more than fifty traditional rulers from within and outside of Nigeria will also be part of the event.
Aare Adams, however, decried the lack of support to socio-cultural promoters in the country by the government, noting that Nigeria stands a lot to gain in the cultural promotion.
He told newsmen that The idea of the festival is to continually promote our cultural heritage and culture through this platform “
The Oodua People’ s Congress leader also added that what we are doing today is a big testimony to the fact that the foundation has made remarkable progress in our determination to protect the cultural identity of the Yoruba race to the world.”
This year, we have a roll call of prominent guests including hundreds of tourists from every part of the world to grace this occasion,” Aare Adams said.
He also added that “ we are expecting over fifty prominent monarchs across Nigeria for the grand finale especially from the Republic of Benin.”
Aare Adams listed the programme lined up for the event to include : Quiz competition for secondary school students, Ayo Olopon, beauty pageant, beach soccer festival floats and boat regatta as well as the Olosa night.
He decried lack of support from the government, hen he said: “ Nigeria is a very funny country which does not encourage and supports socio-cultural organisations.”
Aare Adams also said that members of his group were determined to fund the numerous cultural promotion events of the Olokun Festival Foundation, whether or not the government support them.
He also unveiled new ambassadors of the Olokun Festival, which include “ Bashiru Adisa (Baba Gboin), Tokunbo Aderinokun Babs Olurinde, Abbey Fagboro, Mrs Yemi Ajide- Layinka Fakoya Qudus, (QDot).