The Oyo State Government says it has concluded arrangement to attract local and foreign investors into the state through its wealth of arts and culture.
The government also said it has begun a process to replace it’s aging arts and cultural troupes to allow more youths participate in local and international engagements when the need arises.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, disclosed this while speaking at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan, venue of the “Omituntun Pacesetter Festival of Arts and Culture, 2022“.
Olatunbosun said: “We realised that the troupe from Oyo State is getting older and we need younger talents to showcase at national and international festivals of arts, culture and tourism.”
The event saw cultural troupes from across the 33 Local Government Areas of the state displaying the richness of culture, arts and tradition and adorning various resplendent traditional attires, accompanied by rhythmic drumming with dance, gymnastics, hunting and food displays.
Each local government took turns to showcase their presentations to the awe, amusement and joy of the audience that gathered for the event.
Olatunbosun stated: “The festival is to promote arts and culture, to develop and identify new talents that we can groom to represent Oyo State at national festivals. The new talents identified will serve as the crop of people to represent Oyo State.
“Before we came in, the Aso Oke festival had issues; we had it last year and will have it this year. This one cuts across all facets of culture in the 33 local government areas of the state. Aso Oke is domiciled in Iseyin and Twins festival domiciled in Ibarapa Central. It will be an annual event. It will help develop talents and showcase cultural potential for the world to see,” he revealed.
Present at the event were the Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Lekan Alabi; First Female Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; Ex-First Lady of the state, Mrs Mutiat Ladoja; Ex-President of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero; chairmen of local government areas; government functionaries and culture enthusiasts, among others.
At the end of the display, the overall best positions went to Saki West Local Government Area, Saki, which came first; Oyo West Local Government Area, which came second; Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, which picked the third position and Iseyin Local Government Area in the fourth position, among the thirty-three local government areas that took part in the competition.
The competing Local Government Area contingencies were assessed based on their performances in areas like Costume, Best King/Queen display, Food Court/Arts and Craft Exhibition, Most Disciplined Contingent and Masquerade parade.
Emmanuel Ukoh
