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Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State has pledged continued support for the growth and development of the annual Osun Osogbo Festival with a view to transforming it to a foreign exchange earner.
The governor made the pledge on Friday during the grand finale of the weeklong event which started last week in Osogbo, the state capital.
Oyetola who enthused that he was honoured to attend the festival for the first time as a governor since he assumed office, assured that his administration would continue to support the festival for it’s sustainability and growth.
Represented by the Supervisor of Osun Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Dr Bawale Adebisi, the governor said that the festival was important to his government and that his administration intended to transform the event to a foreign exchange earner for the state.
He said the state was seeking partnership with the Federal Government to optimally tap into the tourism benefits that the festival provides.
“The Osun-Osogbo festival is important to the government and people of Osun as it is a common cultural heritage and our window and voice to the world,” he stressed.
” We are aware of the power of tourism to market our culture to the world, foster cultural communication and harmony and engender national and international peace and cooperation.
“It is our intention to develop, promote and project the Osun-Osogbo festival to global prominence to compete with other world-renowned cultural festivals.
” We shall transform the festival to a foreign exchange earner and a major driver of our economy through tourism.” he said
He congratulated the custodian of the festival, the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun and the indigenes of Osogbo for the successful hosting of the festival.
The event which was attended by scores of traditional rulers and thousands of traditional worshippers, sons, and daughters of Osogbo as well as tourists, was held at the Osun-Osogbo Groove in Isale Osun area of the town.
Foreign tourists from Brazil, Japan, Europe, Osun goddess devotees, masquerades, traditional religious leaders, traditionalists, and royal fathers also paid homage to the Ataoja.
The monarch, however, thanked all the partners and sponsors who made the festival a success, as well as dignitaries, royal fathers, and people both from Nigeria and abroad, who participated in the cultural event.
He went down memory lane to tell the story of how Osogbo, as a town and city, was established and how the first king was the first Osun deity worshipper.
