Culture is a powerful human tool for survival, but also a fragile phenomenon, which is constantly changing and can be easily lost because it exists only in the minds of its custodians.

It was in this light that the Olofa and the people of Offa kingdom took the bull by the horn to revive the kingdom's 14-century festival, Ijakadi to promote and preserve the genuineness of the people's culture for economic gains.

However, following the trend of last year's event, the preparations for the 2012 edition has taken a dimension that will not only put Offa in the world map, but also attract innovation.

As part of making the Ijakadi Festival enjoy the corporate presence and support, the festival custodian recently unveiled a logo for the Ijakadi Festival at the Kwara Hotel, Ilorin Kwara State.

The  logo displayed a wrestling contest between two people on a backdrop acronym 'IF', a peacock with an appellation, Ijakadi Offa Festival 2012....Ijakadi Lóro Offa, represents Offa tradition to abhor laziness and docility, but encourages valour vis-à-vis having a culture that addresses the notion of equality among the indigenes of Offa and  between the Olofa and his subjects.

The Vice Chairman, Offa Local Government, Ogbeni Jacob Ayodele Afolabi, who represented the chairman said that the festival is an holistic event which will not only open Offa for investment, but also development and promote the socio-economic standard of the people.

Afolabi called on the state government to double its effort and support in the celebration in order to reciprocate the gesture Offa Local Government has invested in the preparation.

Speaking, the Director, Kwara State Council for Arts and Culture, Mallam Yunoos Kareem, who represented the Commissioner for Social Development, Culture and Tourism, pointed out that the citizens of the state are proud of Ijakadi Festival because it rallies sons and daughters Offa together to chart new paths for the development of the town.

"The Ijakadi Festival is an attraction, which has drawn the attention of culture lovers over the years, especially from the diaspora who joined the domestic patronage which agog Offa town yearly."

Kareem implored the support of all and sundry towards making the 2012 Ijakadi Festival a cultural pride in the history of the event, adding that the local government is pulling resources; financially and otherwise to make the event achieve its full potentialities.

He said Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State is putting all mechanism in place to see that tourism in the state get the desired attention to attract patronage and investment to boost economic activities.

Early at the unveiling, the Chairman, Ijakadi Festival Working Committee, Professor Olawoye Soladoye Adegboye, who gave a brief history of Ijakadi Festival explained that the over 603-year old festival is administered by Offa Descendants Union (ODU) formed in 1935, and the union organises the festival through a working committee, which enlists a consultant to engender the public private partnership.

According to Adegboye, "the 2012 edition of Ijakadi Festival billed for December to 22 December 30, will come with different side attractions and entertainment features to light up the town.

Source:  http://tribune.com.ng

Our African culture shall never die, long live Nigeria and Africa at large.
Will love to be in this event.