Oyo govt to revamp popular culture center

The Oyo State Government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, has announced plans to partner with a reliable investor to revitalize the Festival of Arts and Culture Center at Mokola Hilltop, Ibadan, before the end of 2024.

This initiative aims to restore the center’s past glory as a hub for promoting and preserving Yoruba culture and arts.

The state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Wasiu Olatubosun, shared this update during a briefing on the upcoming Isese Day celebration and the World Sango Festival 2024, held at the center. Olatubosun revealed that several investors have already expressed interest in the project, reflecting a growing commitment to cultural preservation in the region.

He also announced that traditionalists across Oyo State would gather on August 20th at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex in Adamasingba, Ibadan, for the Grand Finale of Isese Day. The celebration, which honors traditional worship, will be observed in various zones of the state from August 10th to 16th.

Furthermore, the World Sango Festival, which has recently been approved for inclusion in the UNESCO cultural heritage list, will be celebrated with great fanfare at the Aafin Oyo in Oyo Town. The festival will run daily from August 8th to 17th, 2024, starting at 10 AM each day.

As part of the festival’s events, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has organized a symposium to honor the legendary theatre icon, Duro Ladipo, on Tuesday, August 13th, 2024, at his Bode Wasimi residence in Ibadan.

Dr. Paula Gomes, Cultural Ambassador to the Alaafin of Oyo, highlighted that the festival will showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people, attracting participants from both within Nigeria and abroad. Envoys from countries such as Portugal, Cuba, Brazil, Spain, and other diplomatic communities from the diaspora are expected to attend.

This announcement follows Governor Seyi Makinde’s approval in August 2023 of August 20th as a public holiday in Oyo State in honor of Isese Day, a day traditionally set aside by adherents of the Yoruba religion for annual worship.