By Peter Omopo
The Onire of Ire Ekiti, Oba Adeleke Bobade, has called for greater recognition and investment in the Ogun Onire Festival to harness its tourism potential and boost revenue generation.
The monarch said the annual festival, dedicated to Ogun, the god of iron historically associated with Ire Ekiti, holds significant cultural and economic value that could benefit both the state and federal governments if properly developed.
Oba Bobade spoke in Ire Ekiti on Saturday while rounding off activities marking his 20th coronation anniversary. He was accompanied by members of the Onire-in-Council and the Ire Development Union.
He noted that the Ogun Grove, the Bembe drum and other festival activities are valuable tourism assets capable of attracting visitors from across the world if developed to international standards. He urged the federal and state governments to invest in the festival and elevate it to a globally recognised cultural event.
According to him, transforming the celebration into a world-class festival would not only promote Nigeria’s cultural heritage but also serve as a sustainable source of revenue.
Traditional rulers from across the South-West, including representatives of the Ooni of Ife and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, as well as political leaders and other dignitaries, attended the grand finale of the anniversary celebration on Friday.
Reflecting on his two decades on the throne, Oba Bobade said the community had witnessed notable progress in education, infrastructure and socio-economic development. He cited the establishment of a study centre of the Federal University Oye Ekiti, construction of a modern civic centre and the attraction of youth and human capital development initiatives as some of the achievements recorded during his reign.
The monarch expressed gratitude for the unity and peace in the community but lamented the poor condition of roads linking Ire Ekiti, appealing to relevant authorities to address the challenge.
The President of the Ire Development Council, Ayodeji Abe, and his predecessor, Col. Adedotun Adeyeye (retd.), commended the monarch’s leadership, saying his reign had brought unprecedented development and strengthened peaceful coexistence in the town.
