Gani Adams commends National Executives/Coordinating Councils at 2025 Almighty Festival (Eledumare)

Calls for stakeholders’ collaboration to stem the tides of rising insecurity in Nigeria  

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, National Coordinator OPC, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, celebrated God Almighty and also showcased Yoruba culture and tradition at the Grand Finale of year 2025 edition, held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 in Lagos.

Speaking during the event, Adams expressed his utmost appreciation to the royal father of the day, Onifako of Ifako Kingdom, Oba Taofik Ayinde Abiodun Fatusi, Obawole 1, and other royal fathers who attended the occasion. Adams expressed appreciation to the Onifako Council of Chiefs and other dignitaries for gracing the event.

While commending the National Executives Council and National Coordinating Council for their unwavering commitment to the worthy cause of the Eledumare Festival, he explained that the God Almighty festival is organized by Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), which has been promoting the festival for almost 13 years, noting that they managed to organised the festival during the COVID-19.

According to him, the festival has been on in the last 21 days, involving different communities and states hosting various aspects of the festival including prayers to Almighty God, sports such as boxing, football tournament, beach soccer, taekwondo, table tennis, draft, Ludo, and “Ayo Olopon”, Harvest of Praise, and fashion show.

He explained that the festival was organised to praise God for his magnificence and for what he has done in our lives. “The festival has been able to promote cultures and traditions, tourism and commerce, ensuring lasting peace within the society. We had an engagement with the widows and visited the school for the blind and motherless homes as part of our humanitarian outreach,” he noted.

 Speaking further, he mentioned that the relative peace in the Southwest region is not unconnected with the over 20 cultural festivals in different communities and this annual Eledumare festival that the Olokun Festival Foundation organises.

“All over the world, there has never been a place where we heard that people celebrate the festival of God Almighty. This one does not have a religious undertone. Though it allows the three major religions to pray together as part of the programme, it is not a religious festival.

“God gave culture and tradition to every tribe and ethnic nationality across the world, which explained why ‘Olokun Festival Foundation’ have resolved to always ensure the promotion of culture, tradition and tourism in communities, states and even in the country and across the world, ”Adams expressed.

He revealed that plans are ongoing to ensure the festival in Brazil around May, and also in Senegal and Gambia, respectively. He added that Benin Republic already held its Olokun Festival in January this year.

Adams also condemned the attacks and killings in some states, such as Benue Plateau and Ondo. He prayed that God Almighty give the families of those who lost their relatives in the killings the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss

“As we celebrate the grand finale of the Eledumare Festival today, it is essential to lend a voice to the insecurity issues and humanitarian crisis confronting Nigeria. The activities of armed herders suspected to be behind the killings and kidnappings in the country must stop.

´The mindless and barbaric killings outrightly negate the virtues of peace and love, which ought to hold our society together. Besides, no nation develops as a result of one section rising up against another in mindless attacks,” he emphasised.

 Gani stated further that the killings call for a total recalibration of the country’s security architecture and infrastructure. Adding that the resurgence of the violent killings also brings back to the front burner the pressing issue of restructuring the Nigerian polity that would give birth to state and local government police.

Adams reiterated that the insecurity issues go a long way in affecting food security, given the important role Benue, Plateau and Ondo States play in the food production cycle of the nation. The crisis also gives a sense of instability and discourages foreign investor, according to him.

“I must say at this juncture that I have once written to the state governments in the Southwest on the need for stakeholder collaboration to stem the tide of rising insecurity in our region. The government at the centre cannot continue to turn a blind eye to these necessary demands. The time to act is now. We must act decisively in the interest of our nation,” Adams asserted.