FG to list Ojude Oba as UNESCO approved festival

The Federal Government says it has plans to list the annual Ojude Oba Festival as one of the festivals backed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The Minister of Culture, Arts and Creative Economy,  Hannatu Musa- Musawa, said this on Tuesday, at the 2024 edition of the festival at Awujale’s pavilion, Ijebu-Ode.

The festival has as its theme “Ojude Oba: Unity and Harmony, Our Gift”.

The minister, represented by the Director of Cultural Agencies and Heritage, Dr Ben Ugo Anama, noted that the annual festival was in tune with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She said the mandate of the ministry was to make revenue generation from tourism to be over $100 billion by 2030.

The minister described the annual festival as a platform for fostering the unity of the country as well as one of the country’s tourism potentialities.

Musa- Musawa said it could be tapped into to diversify the economy from oil and generate more resources in the nation.

She noted that in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the ministry would always collaborate with stakeholders to promote, preserve and protect the rich cultural heritage of our nation.

The minister added that the ministry would ensure it reached its enviable height according to the vision for the ministry tagged “Destination 2030”.

“This vision considers the potentialities in arts, culture and creative economy, in terms of its ability to create economic expansion.

“Our ambitious goals are predicated on this drive, which is capable of yielding billions and increase the Gross Domestic Product by year 2030,” she said.