The Oyo State Government has pledged to transform the yearly Iyemoja Festival in Ibadan to attract the attention of UNESCO.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon.Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun made this assertion during the celebration of this year’s Iyemoja Festival at the River Bank of Popoyemoja in Ibadan.
Dr. Olatunbosun added that encomiums should be showered on the tenth Assembly for quick passage of the Isese Day Holiday of August 20 of every year as well as the prompt signage of the law by His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde.
The Commissioner promised that, to make the approval of UNESCO a reality, the next Yemoja Festival would be well packaged to attract a mammoth crowd to grace the occasion.
Olatunbosun added that this singular act would attract sponsorship to the Festival from different brands.
Also in their goodwill messages, the Chairperson, House Committee on Culture and Tourism, Hon.Mrs.Michael Olubisi Margaret and Hon. Mrs. Olajide Olufunke Comforter eulogized the Governor for fulfilling his promise during the electioneering campaign to approve and support Isese day which is a way to promote Oyo State’s rich cultural values to the outside World which in turn may be a money spinner for the State.
Earlier in her opening speech, the Yeyelorisa of the Festival, Omitonade Ifawemimo Egbelade expressed her gratitude for the support of the State Government to the success of this year’s Iyemoja Festival.
She opined that this would go a long way to preserve the State’s Cultural heritage and an exposure to the foreign countries.
The highpoint of the Festival was the appeasement to Iyemoja deity by Baale Iyemoja Omikunmi Egbelade, who took the propitiation and dived into the river, a symbolic representation of the sacrificial rites.
Prayers were offered for the Government and the people of the State as a whole.
Other highlights were cultural displays by different masquerades such as Ayelabola, Danafojura, the Olorisa Yemoja, Gelede, and a host of others.
