Image caption: Aerial view of Ogbomoso from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital axis (Photo credit – Damexjon
It begins! Journey to actualize Oba Ghandi’s 25yr devpt plan for new Ogbomoso
Femi OGUNLANA
The much vaunted 25 -year development plan for Ogbomosoland articulated by the Soun, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, has finally taken off in a strong manner, with the inauguration of the Committee on Culture and Tourism on Saturday at the Aafin Ogbomoso. The goal is to build her up into a smart city and a choice destination.
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The 15 – man committee, first of about 15 to be constituted, to drive the 25-year development plan, is headed by Prince Williams Adeleye, a former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media. Chief Executive Officer of Akanni Bookstores, Ogbomoso, and a traditionalist, Dr Oladejo Akanni, is co-chairman.
Some other members of the committee are Mr. Afolabi Olaniran (a retired Director, Research and Quality Assurance, National Business and Technical Education Board (NABTEB), and currently Chairman Governing Board, Federal Government College Ogbomoso); Hon Segun Dokun Odebunmi; Bashorun Akinwole Akinwale; Prince Dotun Oyelade; Hon Mrs. Bisi Oluranti Michael; Olori Nike Olugbodi; Mr. Kareem Adebayo; Mrs Fisayo Alabi; Engineer Tunde Ige; Prince Samuel Oyebamiji Oyedeji; Mrs Janet Akintoyinbo; and Mrs Victoria Mosun Olojede.
Slated for December 2024, the carnival’s aims include cultural inclusivity, innovation and development targeted at making Ogbomoso a tourist destination.
Noting the ancient city is a haven of deep and rich spiritual and cultural heritage the Oba declared he envisioned the carnival will foster unity among “the great and small, Muslims and Christians and everyone else.”
The festivities, he further underlined, “will honour some of the community’s distinctive qualities, including its taste in food, music, costumes, and fashion, emphasizing, “This will pave the way for the community to come together and show unity, and also serve as a means of putting the people at the centre of Ogbomosoland’s development, culture, and social atmosphere.”
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The monarch stressed the carnival is essential to his “25 – year vision plan, which aims to draw in foreign and local investors to transform Ogbomosoland into a model city.”
The carnival, to be week long, he informed, would also advance “socio-economic development, promote cultural enrichment and attract local and foreign investment into the community,” therefore charging the committee to fashion out modalities to bring about the fulfillment of its objectives.
He listed the four-fold objective to include uplifting socio-economic activities in the community; showcasing the city’s rich cultural heritage through diverse cultural performance; creating opportunities for local businesses, entrepreneurship and innovations to network, collaborate and invest in the community’s growth and development; and enhancing Ogbomoso’s visibility and reputation as a vibrant and desirable destination for tourism, investment and cultural exchange.
Some of the programmes lined up are musical concerts; cultural workshops and exhibitions involving traditional arts and crafts that will facilitate visitors’ engagement with local artisans, art displays on Ogbomoso’s history, heritage and traditions; and entrepreneurship cum innovation fair through panel discussions and seminars, daily masquerade performances etc.
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Also, the carnival will embody sports and recreational activities; educational summit; community service by volunteers, golf tournament, fireworks and concert that will feature local and international artistes.
Lauding the initiative, the committee chairman, Adeleye, observed the rich cultural heritage of Ogbomoso, “if fully harnessed, has the potential to transform the socio-economic landscape of the city.”
This is as he said, “There is virtually no family compound in Ogbomosoland, from my little research, that has no unique tradition – be it Egungun; deity, ijala, Oroo, etc. Even Soun’s palace is a repository of a tourist site.
“In the creative industry, Ogbomoso men and women, old and young, are making their marks, making Ogbomoso proud in the money spinning industry. Talk of Baba Lere Paimo (Ogbori elemoso) Kolawole Ajeyemi, Kunle Afolabi, 9ce, Laolu Gbenjo, Dunsin Oyekan to mention a few, are notable faces in the Nigerian creative industry. Our food, amala and gbegiri, eko yangan (Pap), bean snacks (akara Ogbomoso) as well as our unique agricultural products (mangoro Ogbomoso, cassava and cashew) are much sought after by people from other towns and cities across the country and in the diaspora.”
He expressed confidence the carnival would attract local and foreign investors and translate Ogbomosoland’s abundant cultural heritage into money spinning venture through creation of jobs.
Canvassing support, he assured the committee would work hard to sustain the festival and get it enlisted in the federal government’s calendar of festivals and UNESCO’s list of cultural heritage, as he added, “We must do whatever it takes to make Ogbomosoland a tourist destination for domestic and international tourists alike.”
He assured his committee is determined “to work assiduously for the success of the first Ogbomoso culture and tourism festival. We shall give our all, leveraging on our expertise, contacts with relevant culture and tourism institutions in Nigeria, private sector, and deploy available resources to make this event memorable.”
