Uncertainty Over Hosting Of African Drum Festival By Ogun Govt

There seems to be uncertainty over the  hosting of Africa Drum Festival, the annual celebration initiated by the immediate past Ibikunle Amosun's administration to project and promote the rich cultural and tourism potentials of Ogun State and Nigeria to the rest of Africa 

The State Commissioner for Culture And Tourism, Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo failed to pick several calls put across to him on his mobile phone line, neither did he respond to text messages sent to him on same line when Edu-Biznews sought to know the plan for holding of the festival this year , since the Prince Dapo Abiodun's administration is yet to host the festival in its two previous years of 2020 and 2021 which the government blamed on the coronavirus pandemic

Edu-Biznews recalled that the fourth edition of the festival was last held on 30th of April,2019 Inside 10,000 capacity seater amphitheatre at Oke-Ilewo Ibara area of Abeokuta, towards the end of the Amosun's administration

But the present administration is silent on the fate of the festival, as nothing on ground to demonstrate the readiness of the government  to sustain the hosting of the annual cultural exhibition of different types of drums, which has become the toast of drummers across Africa and tourists who travel to Nigeria to catch fun, watching the rich display of drummers  on the continent 

The festival has been of huge economic benefit to the state and makers of popular local fabrics "Adire" and "Kampala" who used to make good sales during the festive period  

Also the executive bill proposed by the Amosun's administration titled" Ogun State Centre for African Drum Festival Law, to provide a legal framework for establishment of a centre for the festival, is still at the second reading stage since 2019 before the State House of Assembly

The House Committee Chairman on Information, Culture And Tourism,Hon.Yusuff Adejojo had in the previous story published by EduBiznews in 2020, said the lawmakers were waiting for the State Executive Council to represent the bill and make it a comprehensive festival beyond just beating of drums 

The Commissioner had refused to comment on the bill when contacted by  Edu-Biznews over the weekend till the time of filing this report on Saturday

Also the inherited uncompleted 10,000 seater amphitheatre designed for celebration of the festival, located near the newly built high rising regional office of Guaranty Trust Bank in Oke-Ilewo Ibara Abeokuta, has been abandoned