EKITI MOVES TO TURN CULTURAL FESTIVALS INTO MAJOR TOURISM REVENUE DRIVERS

The Ekiti State Government has begun moves to harness the economic opportunities embedded in the cultural festivals celebrated across different communities in the state.

The Director-General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Wale Ojo-Lanre, said the government was encouraging communities to formally register their festivals with the bureau as part of efforts to improve their visibility, preserve cultural heritage and transform them into viable tourism attractions.

Ojo-Lanre made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti while receiving organisers of the Epa Festival in Omuo-Ekiti, who formally registered the cultural event with the state government.

He explained that registration would give the government an opportunity to properly coordinate and promote the festivals while providing organisers with access to branding, consultancy and legal recognition. He added that the process would also help ensure that festivals are organised in a manner that promotes peace and public safety.

According to him, the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji has increasingly recognised the economic value of festivals, carnivals and other cultural activities capable of attracting visitors to Ekiti State.

Ojo-Lanre pointed to a recent cultural event in Ado-Ekiti that attracted more than 3,000 visitors, describing the turnout as evidence of the economic possibilities that could emerge when cultural events are properly organised and promoted.

He said increased tourist traffic could generate income for a wide range of businesses, including hotels, transport operators, filling stations, event centres, food vendors and fashion designers.

The tourism chief also listed several government interventions aimed at supporting the sector, including the completion of the Ekiti State International Cargo Airport, the development of tourism policies and a tourism development master plan, improved security and infrastructure, as well as the establishment of the State Bureau of Tourism Development.

He noted that the airport had helped address Ekiti's previous limitation as a landlocked destination by providing an additional means of accessing the state, which he said had encouraged more tourists to visit.

Ojo-Lanre further called for greater private-sector participation in tourism development, explaining that while the government had created an enabling environment through legislation, infrastructure, security and policy, private investors were expected to drive commercial activities within the sector.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ekiti East Local Government, Oluwasegun Ojo, said the revival of the Epa Festival was largely motivated by the desire of residents, particularly young people, to reconnect with their cultural heritage.

The Epa Festival, which was last celebrated in 1982 before its revival in 2022, has continued to attract interest among residents and indigenes of Omuo-Ekiti.

Ojo said organisers were working towards transforming the festival from a community celebration into a major tourism attraction capable of generating sustained economic activity in Omuo-Ekiti.

He explained that the seven-day festival generates business for hotels, restaurants, transport operators, traders and other service providers. Hotels were reportedly fully booked during the previous edition, while this year's programme is expected to feature activities throughout the seven-day celebration.

The organisers are also seeking greater participation from Omuo-Ekiti indigenes living abroad, with a committee established in the Americas to coordinate diaspora involvement.

Traditional rulers in Omuo-Ekiti, including the Saruku of Omuo-Ekiti, Chief Sunday Adepoju; the Eye Olori-Eru of Omuo-Ekiti, Chief Titilayo Aladesanmi; and the Oloka of Omuo-Ekiti, Chief Akinlolu Adedoyin, welcomed the formal registration of the festival.

The traditional chiefs said government recognition would provide the festival with stronger visibility and institutional support, enabling it to develop beyond a local celebration into a recognised cultural tourism attraction.

The Ekiti Government's renewed focus on cultural festivals reflects its broader effort to use tourism, heritage and community-based events to diversify economic activity, attract visitors and create new opportunities for residents.