NITDA to Promote Gelede Festival as National Cultural Event

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), led by Director General Ola Awakan, has announced plans to make the Gelede festival a national cultural celebration. This initiative follows a courtesy visit to the Igbobi Sabe Kingdom, where Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeshina Adeniyi Maforunyomi emphasized the importance of the festival as a tourism asset.

The festival is linked to the ancient iroko trees, believed to be 250 years old, located in Abul Ijesa, which have the potential for UNESCO World Heritage status. NITDA aims to create Africa's first dedicated tourism stream platform to focus on the community and its historical significance.

Awakan encouraged the community to collaborate with NITDA to preserve and promote these sites as major tourist destinations in the future. Oba Adeniyi commended Awakan's innovative approach to tourism, expressing readiness to showcase the Gelede festival and its cultural heritage to a global audience.