Eyo Festival Projects Nigeria’s Cultural Wealth to the World – Tinubu

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Bola Tinubu has described the Eyo Festival as a powerful showcase of Nigeria’s cultural wealth, saying Lagos continues to accentuate the nation’s rich heritage through the iconic celebration

Tinubu spoke on Saturday while attending the 2025 Adamu Orisha Play Eyo Festival at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island, alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mudashiru Obasa, and the Oba of Lagos, Riliwanu Akiolu, among other dignitaries.

The President said the festival remains a strong reminder of the tourism and economic potential embedded in Nigeria’s culture and traditions, especially as it coincides with the “Detty December” period that attracts thousands of Nigerians in the diaspora and foreign visitors to Lagos.

According to Tinubu, the procession of white-robed Eyo masquerades sends a resounding message about Lagos’ identity, cultural pride and historical continuity.

He noted that the 2025 festival was particularly significant as it was held in honour of late eminent Nigerians, including Brigadier-General Mobolaji Olufunsho Johnson (rtd), Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, Chief Michael Agbolade Otedola, and his late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria.

“The Eyo Festival is more than a celebration; it reflects the beliefs, values and enduring culture of the people of Lagos and underscores the cultural richness of our dear country,” Tinubu said, expressing gratitude to the Lagos State Government and traditional institutions for the honour accorded the families of the honourees.

Speaking earlier, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the Eyo Festival as a powerful affirmation of Lagos’ identity, resilience and unbroken connection to history. He said the tradition, which symbolically escorts great contributors to the ancestral realm, reinforces the enduring relevance of those whose lives shaped the course of Lagos and Nigeria.

Sanwo-Olu added that beyond its cultural depth, the Eyo Festival projects Lagos to a global audience, stimulates tourism, creates economic opportunities and strengthens the state’s position as the custodian of Nigeria’s living culture.

He noted that the festival’s return after eight years marked a historic milestone for the state.

Deputy Governor Hamzat said the pageantry, symmetry and excitement associated with the Eyo Festival reflect its cultural significance, describing it as a blend of character and culture that defines the essence of Lagos.

In his royal remarks, Oba Akiolu said the Eyo Festival serves as a meditation on leadership, legacy and communal responsibility, noting that it reinforces the bond between rulers and the people while reminding the community that honouring leadership is inseparable from preserving shared values.

The 2025 Eyo Festival featured colourful processions by various Eyo groups, prayers and traditional rites led by Adamu Orisha, drawing thousands of spectators from within and outside Nigeria in celebration of Lagos’ enduring cultural heritage.