Oyo State Government has pledged to continue to showcase, promote, develop and preserve cultural and traditional heritages in the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, stated this on Sunday at a press conference for the maiden combined Isese and World Sango Festival in the state, held at the Council for Arts and Culture, Cultural Centre, Mokola, Ibadan.
Dr Olatunbosun explained that the World Sango Festival in Oyo State started on August 8, 2024 and the grand finale would hold on August 17, 2024 at the Alaafin Palace, Oyo.
He added that the activities for the Isese Festival, which will be celebrated in all the geopolitical zones of the state, also commenced on August 10, 2024 in Oke-Ogun zone with all the 10 local governments in attendance at the Technical College, Iseyin.
Olatunbosun noted that the grand finale of the Isese Festival will be held on August 20, 2024 at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
Recall that Governor Makinde declared August 20 of every year as a public holiday to celebrate Isese Day in the state.
The commissioner stated that activities earmarked for the Sango Festival include propagating some of the works of the late Duro Ladipo, who was the founder of Sango promotions, with a symposium to be held at his residence, Bode Wasimi, Bashorun, Ibadan.
He maintained that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) had earlier enlisted the Sango Oyo Festival in the lists of World Heritage, a development which he said ranked Oyo State as a giant in the tourism and culture industry.
He added that culture and tourism have begun to make an impact on the economic prosperity of the state as Governor Makinde envisioned in his Roadmap for Sustainable Development, 2023-2027, as both local and foreign investors are now investing in the state.
He said: “The Oyo State Government through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in a bid to showcase, promote, develop and preserve the heritage of the state, is collaborating with the traditional adherents in the state to celebrate the Isese Festival this year.
“Also, this year’s World Sango Festival celebration will be celebrated in a grand style in Oyo Zone from 8-17 August 2024.
“Recall that the festival was recently approved for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
“As part of the events to mark the World Sango Festival, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism will celebrate an icon of theatre, Duro Ladipo and his popular work, ‘Oba Koso’ with a symposium to be held at his Bode Wasimi residence in Ibadan on Tuesday, 13 August, 2024, titled ‘Sango’s Heritage: The Duro Ladipo Theatrics.’
“The Sango Festival will run from Thursday, 8 to Saturday, 17 August, 2024 at Aafin Oyo, Oyo Town, while the Isese Festival will be celebrated in all zones of Oyo State on the following days: 10 August, 2024 – Oke-Ogun Zone, 12 August, 2024 – Ogbomoso Zone, 14 August, 2024 – Ibarapa Zone, and 16 August, 2024 – Oyo Zone.
“The grand finale will be held at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, on the 20 August, 2024, where all traditionalists will converge to pray for peace, unity and stability for Oyo State, and Nigeria.”
He noted that the two events will witness participants from Portugal, Cuba, Brazil, Spain and other diplomatic communities from the Diaspora with various exhibitions of arts and crafts as well as other cultural products and indigenous cuisines.
The co-chairman of the Local Organising Committee, who is also the Cultural Ambassador to Alaafin of Oyo, Dr. Paula Gomez, said Sango Festival has become a world heritage, stressing that the festival is for everyone irrespective of religious beliefs.
She added that the festival is to showcase the good potential for tourism and the cultural heritage and diversity in the state.
The press briefing had in attendance, the Chief Press Secretary/Special Adviser to the Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Dr Adebisi Ayoola; General Manager, Council for Arts and Culture, Chief Mrs Adeyinka Adedeji; Local Government representatives, community representatives, Sango devotees and other members of the organising committees.