On Wednesday, the old Iseyin town’s fifth Aso-Ofi Festival got under way with a carnival procession of the weavers through the main parts of the town.
The Oyo State Cultural Troupe, members of the Iseyin local government, the Iseyin local government chairman, and residents of Iseyin all attended the carnival that took place before the celebration scheduled for Thursday.
Speaking to the weavers at the palace of Aseyin, the State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, represented by the Director of Culture at the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism stated that the 2022 edition would be noteworthy because the State had made the necessary investments in harnessing the tourism sector to boost the State’s economy.
Olatubosun urged the weavers association to continue their support to the State government in order to access more patronages from the administration.
“We look forward to see many interesting angles to the cultural value in Aso-Ofi in this fifth edition of the festival, tourists at tomorrow’s programme will enjoy memorable views of processions of old, adorable Aso-Ofi types and new ones in different patterns.
“As usual, we have come to give the support of the State government to the weavers and the Iseyin community towards the success of this year’s festival, it promises to be interesting like I said.
“From the weavers, the State government expects them to continue their support to the State government by contributing their own to the fulfillment of the State administration towards achieving a successful diversification of its source of revenue to include tourism and culture.”
The Chairman, Iseyin local government, Mufutau Abilawon called on corporate organizations and donor agencies to give support to the annual Aso-Ofi festival, so as to sustain the tempo created and maintained by the State government.
Abilawon who was represented by the Leader of the House of the local government, Hon. Sheu Abiodun remarked that the festival, which has received global attention since its inception in 2017 will enter the global calendar of the United Nation.
