The Owa-Ale of Ikare-Akoko in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Adeleke Adegbite-Adedoyin, has appealed to both the Federal and State Governments to harness the tourism and economic potential of the annual Olokemeji TakoTabo Festival in the town.
Oba Adegbite-Adedoyin made the appeal on Sunday during this year’s edition of the festival, held at the Hill of Progenitors in Ikare-Akoko. He described the event as one of the largest traditional gatherings in Nigeria, which, if properly developed, could significantly boost tourism and the economy of Ondo State.
The monarch noted that beyond its cultural value, the festival also serves a spiritual purpose where the people of Ikare gather to pray for peace and progress. He said prayers were also offered for the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s administrations.
“ Apart from cultural heritage, we come here yearly to pray. And believe me, there is no prayer you pray here with a good heart that God will not answer,” he said.
Tracing the origin of the festival, the first-class monarch explained that it began with the early settlers of Ikare, led by Owa-Ale Agbaode, who migrated from Ile-Ife and founded the town on the sacred hills of Olokemeji TakoTabo, where the festival continues to be held annually.
He added that the event attracts visitors from within and outside Nigeria, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
Oba Adegbite-Adedoyin, who is also a legal practitioner, called on the government to partner with the community to elevate the festival into an international tourism event. He also urged both levels of government to fix the deplorable road networks within Ikare and the major routes linking the town from Ekiti, Kogi, and Edo states.
“This is a massive festival. In Nigeria, you will agree with me that there is no festival as large as this. You can see the crowd, people come from abroad and all parts of the country to witness it,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Yeye-Asa of Ikare, Chief Modupe Akerele, said the festival serves as both a spiritual and cultural renewal for the community, uniting indigenes at home and abroad in prayer and thanksgiving to God and their ancestors.
She noted that the celebration promotes peace, purity, and the continuity of Yoruba heritage.
On his part, High Chief Lawrence Olaleye-Omotosho, the Olukorola of Okegbe Quarters in Ikare, explained that the sacred hills have deep historical and spiritual significance, serving as a refuge for the ancestors during ancient wars.
He added that the festival has boosted local commerce, with hotels fully booked and traders recording huge sales, noting that the Olokemeji TakoTabo Festival is fast becoming a major tourism asset for national development.
One of the participants, Prince Adeniran Adeyemo, described the festival as top-notch, saying, “We pray to God on these mountains, and our prayers have always been answered.”
