Following the conclusion of the 2023 Iyemoja Festival, the Oyo State government has pledged its full support for the annual celebration in Ibadan and aims to attract UNESCO’s attention to the event, as announced by Wasiu Olatunbosun, the commissioner for culture and tourism.

The celebration was held at the river bank of Popoyemoja in Ibadan.

Mr Olatunbosun said the state government threw its weight behind the festival in order to promote and preserve the cultural heritage, as well as remember the forebears in the state.

“To make the approval of UNESCO a reality, the next Iyemoja Festival will be well packaged to attract a mammoth crowd to grace the occasion,” he said.

The commissioner said this would attract sponsorship to the festival from different brands.

Earlier, the festival’s Yeyelorisa, Omitonade Ifawemimo Egbelade, said the festival was an avenue for every son and daughter of Yemoja, both at home and in the diaspora, to converge.

“This will enable us to celebrate our past heroes and also plan ways to move the belief forward,” she said.

The high point of the festival celebration was the appeasement to the Iyemoja deity by Baale Iyemoja, Omikunmi Egbelade.

He took the propitiation and dove into the river, a symbolic representation of the sacrificial rites.

Prayers were later offered to the Oyo State government and the people of the state.

Other highlights were cultural displays by different masquerades, such as Ayelabola, Danafojura, the Olorisa Yemoja, Gelede, and a host of others.

(NAN)