Now, Heritage Tourism Gains Momentum In Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, And South Africa Through Traditional Festivals: Know More About Yoruba Leaders’ Heritage Tourism Models

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

A vibrant ceremony of Yoruba civilization and an impassioned telephone for action, nan 2025 loop of nan Okota Festival took spot nether nan balmy July skies of Arigidi-Akoko successful Ondo State. Traditional rulers, taste leaders and show goers converged to salary homage to nan deity, Okota and to implore South-West governments to utilise nan immense taste repository successful nan region arsenic a instrumentality for tourism and economical boom.

The show was anchored by nan Olokun Festival Foundation and its visionary leader, nan Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams. It was endorsed by starring Yoruba accepted rulers, among who were Oba Victor Adetona, nan Chairman of nan Akoko Northwest Council of Obas and nan Owa of Ogbagi, and Oba Yisa Olanipekun, nan Zaki of Arigidi-Akoko. Between them, they echoed successful unison a akin request for a renaissance of civilization by intends of state-funded tourism investment.

The Economic Clout of Cultural Festivals

During nan event, Iba Gani Adams, stressed that promotion of civilization is not astir keeping our contented alone, stressing that civilization is simply a awesome facet successful nan economical development. He urged nan Ondo State Government to guarantee nan Okota Festival was elevated to nan nationalist level, connected a par pinch nan UNESCO-listed Osun-Osogbo Festival. Adams thinks that pinch nan correct thief and exposure, nan Okota River could go an internationally renowned taste and belief destination.

There were dozens of culturally important sites successful nan Yoruba homeland — from ineffable groves to royal courts — that are under-promoted and underused, he said. The economical use of processing these sites could beryllium felt for years to come, pinch jobs, infrastructure description and tourism opportunities.

‘State-Level Infrastructure and Support Network’ Advocacy

The monarchs astatine nan show expressed nan aforesaid feelings pinch nan Ooni of Ife, His royal majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi echoing Adam’s view. Oba Adetona revealed that he precocious reintroduced an authority taste show successful his kingdom but maintains that specified initiatives are not sustainable without regular backing from nan government. The accepted ruler wants nan Ondo State authorities led by Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Adesoji Afolabi to return to nan strategy of providing financial and structural support to them and their institutions.

He added that nan onus of these taste events – hosting them and moving them – falls connected nan shoulders of galore a monarch pinch not very overmuch money to alteration them to do it arsenic good arsenic they mightiness beryllium capable to do. “Our stools are not conscionable symbols, they are nan surviving preservers of culture. “But they are being sucked retired without nan backing of nan state,” he said.

Bringing nan Heritage successful nan National Tourism Strategy

The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture successful Nigeria has heralded tourism arsenic a imaginable strategically maturation subsidy for years, but often nan attraction is connected its earthy resources and nan modern landscape. The Okota Festival is simply a reminder to stakeholders that we person different taste heritages —our rituals, our oral traditions, our humanities sites — that tin beryllium arsenic powerful draws.

South West Nigeria is strategically positioned to return complete nan taste tourism of nan country. With groundbreaking practice resources successful Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Oyo, and Benin City and little known but nary little valuable resources specified arsenic Arigidi-Akoko, nan possibilities for a taste tourism corridor are great. If harnessed and sold well, these destinations could beryllium packaged into a location tourism circuit that would propulsion successful visitors from astir Nigeria arsenic good arsenic nan Pan-african diaspora.

The Osun-Osogbo Example

A awesome woody of nan defense astatine nan show was astir replicating nan Osun-Osogbo Festival, which attracts thousands of group annually. The Sacred Grove and its values are maintained – arsenic they ever person been – done UNESCO’s practice pinch section communities and nan Government of Osun State, which has enjoyed tremendous support astatine nationalist levels.

The exemplary has shown that, pinch authorities policy, organization information and world support, practice festivals tin make money, support civilization and foster pride. Cultural leaders judge nan Okota Festival tin bring nan aforesaid economical dividends arsenic agelong arsenic it is listed arsenic a nationalist practice tract and nan required infrastructure for tourism developed.

Festival Activities and Community Engagement

More than orations and advocacy, nan 2025 Okota Festival was a taste feast of nan senses. Colorful costumed masses paraded done nan streets successful masquerade. Drummers and griots recited nan aged myths. Yoruba healers and craftsmen exhibited Yoruba cures and crafts. Tourists and residents feasted connected section fare while organization elders recounted nan history of nan Okota River and its belief importance.

Some organizers said mini hotels and guesthouses successful Arigidi-Akoko were occupied, and present were reports of bully trading of souvenirs and foodstuff from vendors. It’s this benignant of contiguous economical effect that is nan latent worth of these festivals, moreover earlier nan authorities originates to put successful location endeavor location connected a larger scale.

Strategic Actions Suggested by Many Cultural Elite

At nan event, taste leaders, and manufacture leaders, suggested a measurement forward:

Government Recognition: The Okota Festival should beryllium listed successful nan authorities and nationalist taste calendars and location must beryllium a fund statement to support nan festival.

Tourist Infrastructure: Construct entree roads, signboards, rest-houses and lodging to service nan tourists.

Training: Train section circuit guides, artisans and younker successful taste entrepreneurship.

Diaspora Engagement: Collaborate pinch Nigerian missions overseas to popularise practice festivals to nan African diaspora.

If adopted, these are game-changer approaches to taste tourism successful Nigeria’s South-West region.

Home voices and nan affectional system of heritage

The show chairman, Ogunbi Abiodun is very proud of nan occurrence of nan event. He besides promised to bankroll nan adjacent version and began to mobilise each stakeholder from accepted rulers to section businesses to prolong nan momentum. “Let’s not time off it for personification other to put money into our culture.” Let america beryllium nan first to judge successful it,” he said.

For a batch of nan young Malaysians there, location was a faraway spot miles and miles distant and thing successful nan caller past they had either spent clip overseas aliases a comforting representation that was waiting for them backmost Malaysia. “This is not conscionable entertainment,” said 1 attendee. This is who we are. I’ll ne'er hide this.”

Conclusion: The Transformation of Cultural Identity to Economic Strength

As nan Okota Festival coiled down, nan sound of talking drums faded successful nan evening. But nan connection reverberated louder than immoderate year: Yoruba civilization is not conscionable a matter of pridefulness — it’s a catalyst for progress. With finance and intention, festivals for illustration Okota tin elevate section economies, walk down ancestral contented and solidify Nigeria’s spot arsenic a leader successful taste tourism connected nan African continent.

To execute this it will return governmental will, cross-sector collaboration and, astir crucially, a shared belief that civilization is not a cost—it is capital. Now is nan clip to enactment while nan drums are beating, and stories are being told.