April 28, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) has announced plans to collaborate with the Igbobi‑Sabe Kingdom to develop the revered Gelede Festival into a recognised national cultural celebration, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s cultural tourism sector.
The Director-General of NTDA, Ola Awakan, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the kingdom in Yaba, where he was received by His Royal Majesty, Oba Owolabi Adeyemi Adeshina Adeniyi (Maforunyomi I), alongside Olori Mosunmola Anike Adeniyi, Bales of the kingdom, and members of the White Cap Chiefs.
The visit began with a colourful cultural procession led by the Gelede masquerades, symbolising the community’s deep cultural heritage and reinforcing the festival’s significance as a symbol of fertility, womanhood, and communal harmony.
Speaking during the engagement, the monarch commended the NTDA Director-General for honouring the invitation and praised his initiatives to reposition Nigeria’s cultural heritage on the global stage. He expressed the kingdom’s readiness to partner strategically with the Authority to promote tourism development and cultural preservation.
Oba Adeniyi highlighted key tourism assets within the kingdom, including the revered Gelede masquerades and two ancient iroko trees believed to be over 250 years old, describing them as cultural landmarks with strong historical value.
In his response, Awakan appreciated the warm reception and described the visit as both culturally enriching and strategically aligned with the Authority’s mandate to promote Nigeria’s tourism assets. He emphasised the importance of traditional institutions in advancing tourism and noted that effective storytelling around cultural heritage is essential for attracting local and international visitors.
The NTDA Director-General further proposed featuring the kingdom’s cultural assets on the NITOUREY Project, described as Africa’s first dedicated tourism streaming platform designed to showcase Nigeria’s diverse tourism offerings globally.
During a guided tour of one of the ancient iroko tree sites located in Abule Ijesa, Yaba, Awakan observed that the location holds strong potential for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, urging collaboration to revitalise the historic landmarks and position them as national tourism symbols.
The visit concluded with royal blessings from the monarch, who expressed confidence in the Director-General’s leadership and wished him success in advancing Nigeria’s cultural tourism development agenda.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
