The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), the umbrella body of all socio-culrural groups in the ancient city has began the 2024 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week.
The cultural festival week began on Friday, May 31, 2024 at Ibadan House located at Oke Aremo, in Ibadan North local government area.
The event was attended by eminent personalities among whom are the CCII President General, Barrister Adeniyi Ajewole, Hon. Ibraheem Salami Dikko, Iyaloja General of Oyo State, Alhaja Sarata Aduke; Chairman of Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, Mrs. Dotun Olaitan, represented by Mrs. Lola Osanyin and Chief Executive Officer of Royaldiadem, Hon. Olusoji Alade and his wife.
Other notable included Chief Waheed Ekun; Alhaja Simiat Adeleke Larodo; Mrs. Adebisi Adejumo, and a host of others.
The event was used to decorate the Chief Executive Officer of Omoola Travels and Tours, Alhaji Kazeem Olaniyan, as Grand Ambassador of Ibadan Culture.
Ajewole, in his address commended the organizing committee for their resilience and commitment towards the successful hosting of the cultural festival.
Ajewole also thanked prominent Ibadan indigenes who donated generously towards the event.
He told the audience that the final date for the annual Ibadan festival will be announced after the installation of the new Olubadan of Ibadan.
Chairman of the event, Hon. Ibraheem Salami Dikko, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the event and urged the CCII to sustain the program
Chairman of the organizing committee, Balogun Gaphar Babatunde Ojetola, said, “Ibadan Got Talent was adapted from Britain’s Got Talent, a United Kingdom program, while the Ibadan Brain and Beauty Pageant competition is another adaptation from beauty competitions.”
“Ibadan Cultural Festival started 30 years ago by CCII, and I was brought on in 2022 to be the chairman of the planning committee. When I came home, I discussed it with the President General, and he allowed me to showcase it in order to bring out the talent in our children and develop their hidden talents.
“Ibadan Got Talent” has been able to discover hidden talents which their parents didn’t know existed. As a result of our agenda, in 2022, two of our talents were given scholarships in higher institutions, and one is employed by the Ministry of Culture in Oyo State. We are happy to develop our boys and girls in the area of their talents and propagate those talents to the world. We have brought judges from outside CCII from Lagos and other places to ensure unbiased judgment”.
Miss Temidun Ogunrinde emerged as the new Orekelewa of Ibadan Culture. The first and second runners-up of the beauty pageant were Joke Omolola Akande and Olamide Akinwale, respectively.
In the category of Ibadan Got Talent, Abdullateef Utman emerged as the winner, while first runner-up is Agunbiade Gideon and second runner-up is Obaloluwa Okewumi.