The Ondo State Government has restated its resolve to deploy tourism as a tool for sustaining peace and boosting the economy of the state.
Speaking at the 2025 Igogo Festival in Owo on Sunday, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said the state is blessed with a rich cultural heritage, which places it among the foremost tourist destinations in the country.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Olayide Adelami, described Igogo as a festival that unites the people of Owo and connects them to their history.
“This celebration is more than a display of tradition – it is a bridge between our glorious past and our present.
“By sustaining Igogo, the people of Owo continue to water the roots of their heritage, honour the memory of Queen Oronsen, and project the values of love, unity, and respect which she embodied,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa disclosed that Igogo is one of five festivals across the state that have been designated as state festivals by his administration.
He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to repositioning tourism, arts, and the creative economy as drivers of sustainable development, while inviting stakeholders and multinationals to partner with his administration to actualise the vision.
The governor congratulated the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin, and the people of Owo on the successful hosting of the 2025 Igogo Festival, assuring them of his administration’s support to elevate the cultural celebration into a global event.
Speaking with journalists, the Olowo said the Igogo Festival, which is an annual event, was instituted by the ninth Olowo over 600 years ago and has continued to expand.
He said, “Since my enthronement in 2019, I have made a conscious effort to make Igogo more attractive. For this year’s festival, we have cultural tourists and enthusiasts from around the world. From Australia to Canada, the USA, and the UK, people are here to celebrate with us.”
Oba Gbadegesin commended the state government for fostering a mutually beneficial partnership to expand the festival for economic growth. He also appreciated sons and daughters of Owo for their contributions to the successful hosting of the festival.
On his part, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Afolabi Adesoji, lauded Governor Aiyedatiwa for identifying tourism as one of the key drivers of economic growth under the ‘OUR EASE’ development agenda of his administration.
Igogo, celebrated annually by the people of Owo in Ondo State, is a 17-day festival that climaxed on Sunday with the monarch leading a procession to strategic locations while performing traditional rites.
John Paul Akinduro,
Press Secretary to the Governor
(Office of the Deputy Governor)
September 22, 2025
Leave a Reply