“Olosunta has vast tourism potentials. Government attention to this cultural festival will bring development and turn it to revenue earner, job creator and as well booster of economy. We also call on bodies and organisations to invest in Olosunta to harness the potentials”
By John Odunayo
The atmosphere of joy and excitement pervaded Ikere Ekiti on Thursday as the community celebrated the 2025 Olusunta Festival, the commencement of the new traditional year.
The palace of the Olukere of Odo Oja Ikere Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, was the centre of attraction as residents from different quarters and families thronged the place gorgeously dressed either in uniform attires or their best outfits in the spirit of the celebration.
Guests from different communities and tourists were not left behind as they came to the palace in their numbers to witness this year’s edition or be part of the celebration.
The Onire of Ire Ekiti, Oba Victor Bobade, was at the event to celebrate the significant festival with Olukere and the people of the kingdom.
The Olukere, Oba Obasoyin, described Olosunta Festival as “the major and significant festival in Ikere Ekiti. It unites the three quarters of Ikere because we all participate in the festival every year.
“It brings some of our children who are abroad home, most times to witness the festival and be part of the cultural development of our community.
“As we can see, it attracts a lot of people to town, thus helping the commerce whenever we celebrate the annual festival. The festival attracts so many good things to the community”.
The Olukere attributed the progress recorded in the community to following the footsteps of his forebears in all ways and “so we have been having answers to most things that could otherwise have been difficult for us in Ikere”.
Obasoyin expressed joy that the community had witnessed tremendous development since he received his staff of office from the state government five years ago including achieving its long desired crave for university and federal presence through military barracks being brought to the community.
He charged Ikere people, “Peace is a necessary condition for unity and development. Let us embrace peace no matter the differences we are having. We should know that Ikere is our only home, so we should continue to work for the progress of the town.
“We also call on our sons and daughters across the country and outside the shores of the country to always visit home and be part of the community’s development. I am imploring all our well-meaning sons and daughters to join hands with us in the development of this town. It is always good to give back to the society that produced you”.
The Olukere, who said that Olosunta had vast tourism potentials, urged the Federal Government and its Ekiti State counterpart to take action on development of those aspects of the yearly Olosunta Festival of the community.
Obasoyin, who said that the Olosunta Hill, the grove and as well the crowd that the festival yearly attracted had great tourism potentials, said, “Government attention to this cultural festival will bring development and turn it to revenue earner, job creator and as well booster of economy”.
He also called on bodies and organisations to invest in Olosunta to harness the potentials.
The Olukere, who said there had been promises of developing the hill and the grove from the state and federal governments, said, “We are still looking forward to the state government’s promise on the groove by starting the development they promised us, likewise the Federal Government”.
The monarch expressed hope that the community would have witnessed higher leap in terms of development before the 2026 Olosunta Festival, adding, “I hope by this time next year, we will be able to see a lot of development going on at Olosunta Hill”.
Oba Obasoyin thanked the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji and the deputy, Chief Mrs Christianah Afuye for what they are doing for the development of the state.
He said, “With the overwhelming support of Ekiti people to him (Oyebanji), that means the man is being guided by God. My prayer for him is that God will continue to guide and guard him, God will continue to lead him to take Ekiti to greater heights”.
