Oba Ghandi has created a December of opportunities
Femi OGUNLANA
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Another December is upon us. But this 2024 December comes with a lot of opportunities particularly in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, where Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, whose imperial reign title is Orumogege 111, is paramount ruler.
This is because the Oba has conceived a grand event dubbed “Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival” (which some ignorantly call ‘Candle’ Carnival). Its maiden edition slated for this December will hold between 19th and 23rd. The initiative is superb, generated from a fecund mind. It’s vintage Oba Ghandi!
The monarch has been demonstrating, conspicuously, that he is not just another traditional ruler but one driven by focus, determination, goal, and propensity to work for the good of his domain and advance the interest of his people. He is proving not to be a typical monarch, who waits for things to happen, he is rather lunging with well-thought out, calculated moves, to make things happen, to create things, to unfurl opportunities. He is exciting, innovative, progressive-minded. Not using the exalted stool to feather his nest. His kind Is rare in this millennium. I salute his courage, despite the various daunting challenges, he forges ahead, presses forward in his conviction and belief to steer his city to greater greatness and prosperity.
This December carnival creation is a great opportunity for the Ogbomoso zone. It is a key to unlocking the immense potentials embedded in its belly. The carnival is envisaged and designed to bring together diverse people to Ogbomoso during the five-day spectacle; and where people congregate in large numbers, opportunities abound. Spike in sales of goods and services will be recorded eliciting a boom and boost in the economy of the area. Furthermore, the carnival will afford and avail! – Indigenes in the diaspora, some of them who have long visited home, will be inspired to attend, and when they visit, they will be availed the opportunities of seeing the state of things at home and might be provoked to make significant contributions to local development in terms of investments and infrastructure, personally, corporately or through facilitation. Aside this, the carnival will propagate the city further, popularizing her, thus making her a destination for tourism (a multi-million naira sector) and opening her up for new developments. “So, there are a lot of reasons why this is important for us,” Oba Olaoye recently declared. “This Ogbomoso Cradle will bring development to our town, will improve our economy, put focus on and bring awareness about our town. People will not be saying ‘ilu wo ni yen, a ko mon.’ We want people to know about Ogbomoso.”
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The opportunities offered are thus unlimited. However, the people too must be ready to avail themselves of the inherent opportunities, grabbing them deftly with both hands. Residents especially must think out of the box to evolve ways to reap benefits economically and in networking during the period. They must not be consumed in excitement and festivities alone (or taken over by negativity or antagonism towards the event or its chief proponent). An opportunity has been unlocked, people should make the best of it. Irresistible souvenirs, appealing business packaging, showcasing of abilities, competences and capabilities to attract investments should feature prominently during the event. Inhabitants need to look inward to design and create goods, products as well as services that will sell, to better their lots. Making the best use of the carnival is the key. And emphasis must be on locally generated goods and services.
Promotion of local goods and services should be given priority, that’s the only way the good intention of Kabiyesi Orumogege in terms of economic revitalization can be achieved. There are local producers and services providers who should be generously patronized but when these are jettisoned on (flawed) assumptions then the goal of the carnival is enveloped in jeopardy. Dozens of billboards promoting the carnival have been put up, if you seek you will find they are contracted out, effectively denying local creators of prosperity. Isn’t that an irony? In the media sector too, when the programme comes around, it’s media houses and platforms outside the shores of Ogbomoso that will be given consideration, and so, are the ones that will rake the benefits and get more prosperous. That’s the scenario during the coronation event last year, while media houses from outside raked in millions in patronage, home-based media platforms received peanuts. The organizers are often inflicted with the malaise of empty haughtiness, disdainful of local creators believing their expertise is below par. But if you ignore them perpetually how will they get opportunities to step up their game too? How will you organize an event in Ogbomoso aimed at advancing her lots and you will give canopies’ suppliers, printers, restaurateurs, bottle water producers etc precedence over local rivals? That aloofness that stems from a vain superiority complex is always a limiting factor.
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The cradles carnival is a massive vision. But its success lies in widespread participation by the home-based people. Getting “big men” from outside to attend is great, it will add colour, grandeur and class but it won’t compare with the enthusiasm of the locals. 19 days to the event the community should have been buzzing with excitement, it should have been agog but that usual aloofness by the organizers has reared its head again, and that is a major constraint. Information about the event is scanty, what and where are the venues? What are the events enrooted in the carnival? What are the attractions? Who are the dignitaries, celebrities expected? We hear of uniform clothes on social media, how is it unfurling? When will the clothes be worn? How many categories? What Egunguns are featuring – Danafojura, Ajomogbodo, Arenugbongi, Ayilere, Kongba, Babalugbon, Lobanika, Lembe? Which ones have confirmed their participation? Who are the artists coming? What tourist centres are ready for people’s visits? What should people look forward to? Many questions!
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That’s a vital gap the home-based media can bridge, to enlighten the populace on the programme and galvanize immense eagerness and interest. Advertisements in online media, radio, tv and print media platforms that are locally based should by now be intense and at an aggressive pitch but everything is enshrouded in silence. So, in reality, people are in the dark about the details, they are just hearing carnival, carnival, some even dub it “candle carnival.” Cradle? What birthed that nomenclature? Many things are hazy about the event? There is therefore an urgent need to engage local media houses to create the excitement, it won’t be in vain and it won’t be a waste. It will rather spike their motivation and they will spike excitement about the event. It will be a win-win situation. That grassroots connection is very crucial in the success of the carnival. It’s what will guarantee the prosperity envisioned in a way, and ensure the depth and cycle of poverty are cut back.
But if it is another highly hoity-toity affair, it’s very good luck.
