By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Governor Gboyega Oyetola has declared that his administration is determined to drive the state economy with tourism by continuing to take active part in the annual Osun Osogbo festival and other festivals.
The governor stated this in Osogbo while leading this year’s Walk for Osun, a carnival procession of stakeholders in Osogbo to herald the 2019 Osun Osogbo festival.
Speaking through Dr Obawale Adebisi, the Supervisor in charge of the Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism Ministry in Osun state, Governor Oyetola while leading the walk from Better life – Ahmadiya – Oja Oba junction – Obate – Sabo junction – Balogun Agoro – Isale Aro – Jolayemi – Isale Osun to the Ataoja palace, said the state government would provide adequate security during the celebration of the festival, assuring that the government will continue to continue to support and enhance the quality of Osun Osogbo festival and bring in more people to participate.
According to a statement issued by the Lead Consultant to Esquire Global, the official marketing company of Osun Osogbo festival 2019, Mr. Tunde Muraina, made available to journalists in Ibadan yesterday, the governor pointed out that record showed that the Osun Osogbo festival attracts different people from near, far and wide and in the diaspora, and that the government has brought new tourist product, Karaole Odua which will be used to bring Yorubas in the diaspora to Yorubaland so that they will come home to know their source.
“Our effort is to plan strategically to bring them (Yorubas) home on annual basis between 10-21th of August during the celebration of Osun Osogbo Festival. It will enhance the quality of Osun Osogbo and bring in more people to partake. “ he said.
The governor emphasized that he would drive the state economy with tourism and his administration would continue to take active part in the annual Osun Osogbo festival and other festivals, saying, “what we are doing today is to ensure that we give necessary support to the community and we also get maximum support in return for government programmes and policies.”
“The festival every year brings millions of Naira to Nigeria. Though not directly to the purse of the state government but we are planning on capturing more data and register participants so that it can bring in revenue to the purse of the state government,” he said.
Receiving participants at the Walk, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, disclosed that the insinuation that Osun deity had been sold was fallacy and that the Walk for Osun was to create awareness for the people that the Osun Osogbo festival 2019 was around the corner, saying, “usually, the celebration of Osun Osogbo festival commences by cleaning of the town called Iwopopo whereby citizens of Osogbo and tourists gather to do the task. But this one is a special occasion, special in the sense that it is awareness to the public that the alleged stolen spirit of Osun is fallacy. Osun deity remains there and we started this year’s own with Walk For Osun, where everyone regardless of the ethnic group came to me and we moved round Osogbo to tell people that Osun remains where she is.
“Osun Osogbo is a very significant festival. There is the involvement of UNESCO, which has made the site a World Heritage one. This places Osun Osogbo on the world map as a tourism destination and the federal, state and local government have shown enthusiasm in promoting Osun Festival. The state government is nearer to me and the celebration of the festival is not done only done by the Ataoja, its custodian, and its people but in collaboration with the Osun State Government and they have been upright.”
The Managing Consultant of the firm managing and marketing the festival, Mr. Toye Arulogun, on his part commended the Federal and the State governments for their relentless efforts of improving on the security situation in the country, pointing out that the insecurity was not terribly bad as being painted, adding that the Walk for Osun was an element of contemporary that was introduced into the celebration of the festival this year, explaining, “today, thousands of people walked with us to herald the celebration of 2019 Osun Osogbo festival. The walk signifies peace and unity between different ethnic groups. What we are bringing in is an element of contemporary, as we cannot do anything about the tradition.”
