Oyebanji cultural growth plans aim to transform Ekiti’s Udiroko Festival into a major tourism, jobs and investment platform while preserving heritage

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has pledged stronger government support for cultural development at the 2026 Udiroko Festival in Ado Ekiti, urging organisers to transform the historic celebration into a major tourism and economic platform for the state.

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The governor made the commitment on Wednesday at the palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, where residents, traditional leaders and indigenes gathered for the annual festival themed, “Udiroko as the Signpost of Our History, Tradition and Cultural Values.”

Oyebanji said the festival had grown beyond its traditional role as an annual celebration and now offered an opportunity to create jobs, support local businesses and attract investment while retaining its historical character.

“Udiroko Festival has grown beyond an annual cultural gathering and should now be deliberately developed into a major tourism and economic event while preserving its historical significance, cultural values and traditions,” Oyebanji said.

The governor described Udiroko as an important cultural asset for both Ado Ekiti and the wider state, saying the event had developed into an iconic festival that deserved a broader and more ambitious strategy.

“This festival is no longer just an annual festival for Ado Ekiti, but Ekiti festival; it has become an iconic festival. We need to sit down with the committee and find a way of expanding it,” he said.

Oyebanji said his administration would work with stakeholders to rebrand and expand the festival before the end of his tenure in 2030.

“We should also use this festival as an avenue to create wealth and employment. I am confident that by the time I leave the office in 2030, we would have been able to rebrand this festival and make it much bigger and more impactful,” he said.

The governor’s emphasis reflects a broader effort to position culture as an economic resource rather than simply a ceremonial activity.

A more commercially developed festival could create opportunities for artisans, hospitality businesses, performers, traders and other local enterprises.

Oyebanji also praised the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, for his support for the state administration and his commitment to the development of Ado Ekiti and the wider state.

The monarch, speaking from the throne, congratulated Ado Ekiti indigenes on the successful celebration and reflected on the historical roots of Udiroko.

“That ancient mandate given under an Iroko tree has matured and evolved over the years and decades to become not just a cultural showpiece, but also a tourist attraction that galvanises the whole of Ado Ekiti Kingdom, its sons and daughters, as well as our friends and well-wishers from around the world,” Oba Adejugbe said.

The monarch stressed that the festival could serve both cultural and economic purposes, particularly for younger people seeking stronger connections with their heritage.

“Udiroko Festival will continue to provide opportunity for Ado Ekiti people, particularly the younger generation, to reconnect with their cultural roots while creating opportunities for businesses, artisans, hospitality operators and other economic players,” he said.

Oba Adejugbe also appealed to individuals and organisations to invest in Ekiti, arguing that greater private-sector participation would help create employment opportunities for young people and strengthen the state’s economy.

The festival’s significance extends beyond entertainment. Udiroko traditionally marks the new year in Ado Ekiti and provides an annual moment for the community to celebrate its history, traditions and collective identity.

The 2026 edition therefore offered an important intersection between cultural preservation and economic ambition, with both the governor and monarch presenting the festival as a platform capable of connecting heritage with contemporary development.

Oyebanji also used the gathering to urge Ekiti residents to continue supporting President Bola Tinubu as the 2027 presidential election approaches.

The governor said Ekiti had benefited from interventions and support from the Federal Government.

Oba Adejugbe, for his part, commended Tinubu’s reforms and efforts towards economic stabilisation while calling for stronger action to address the security challenges facing the country.

The festival drew sons and daughters of Ado Ekiti from within Nigeria and abroad, alongside friends and well-wishers who gathered at the palace grounds for the colourful celebration.

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For Oyebanji, the immediate challenge now is to turn the goodwill surrounding Udiroko into a sustainable programme that delivers tangible economic benefits without weakening the traditions that give the festival its meaning.