The Aare Ọnà Kankanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has announced that the 13th edition of the Eledumare Festival aims to appreciate God’s blessings in the lives of Nigerians and boost the country’s tourism through various cultural activities in host communities.
Adams made this known on Monday while speaking at the opening of the 21-day festival, which runs until April 22. As the Chief Promoter of the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), he emphasised the role of cultural and traditional activities in expressing gratitude to God.
Adams noted that despite challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival has remained consistent for 13 years. He reaffirmed OFF’s commitment to promoting Yoruba culture, traditions, and tourism at local and international levels.
“OFF has always been keen on taking cultural festivals to the global stage. In May, we will hold a festival in Brazil, followed by events in Senegal and the Republic of Benin,” he said.
According to Adams, the Oodua People’s Congress is the only group that celebrates the Eledumare Festival.
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He said, “God is worthy of worship; praise is the only key that opens all doors. Our organisation, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), is the only group that celebrates the Eledumare Festival. I am grateful to God that we are all alive to witness this glorious day. Considering the tremendous growth in our group, most especially on the strength of our group in the Diaspora, the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), in 79 countries in the world, I am pleased to tell you that our best is yet to come”, he stated.
He also emphasised the need to promote the Yoruba Language and identity, stating that about 28 universities worldwide study the language.
He charged the government, particularly in the Southwest states, to promote sports and agriculture by establishing the Southwest Agric Commission (SWAC).
“By this, we can leverage the agricultural potentials in the West. I have it on good authority that Lagos State alone consumes between 13,000 and 15,000 cows daily, totalling about three billion naira, while other states in the Southwest also consume about 10,000 cows, totalling two billion naira daily. These are huge investments that we can leverage on. We can also develop our tourism and sports by establishing tourist centres like cinemas and stadiums with over 7,000 capacities in our local governments across the states. This is a strong mechanism for grassroots sports development, which can also help reduce crime rates in the country,” he said.
As reported by Guardian, the 2025 Eledumare Festival lineup includes a Children’s Day celebration in Epe, Ibeju, Lekki, and Eredo Local Government Areas of Lagos State; a football competition in Agege; a beach soccer event in Badagry on April 13; and a Yoruba quiz competition in Ogun East Senatorial District, Ijebu Axis, on April 16. The grand finale is set for April 22.
Chairman of the Planning Committee, Prof. Kolawole Raheem, assured that this year’s festival would be the most organised in its history, given the level of planning and dedication from host communities.
“I assure those who have been waiting patiently for the commencement of the Eledumare Festival that we will deliver the best Festival this year,” Raheem stated.