As part of efforts to revitalize culture and tourism in the two states, Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has called for a combined cultural festival between Ogun and Osun states.

Abiodun said when he met with Senator Ademola Adeleke of Osun State in his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Friday night. He noted that because the two states have many things in common, it is important to explore their deep cultural ties for the benefit of their respective populations.

He pointed out that if such an event were organized jointly, it would contribute to strengthening the bonds between the two republics.

“I am happy that you suggested that we should collaborate in the area of culture and tourism. We may have an adire festival in your state this year and then come back to Ogun the following year and I am sure this will deepen our culture.

“As a matter of fact, we are planning a Cultural Festival in collaboration with people from the Caribbean and Brazil and I think this is something we can do together. We can put together a culture and tourism team to work together so that we have an Ogun/Osun Cultural Revival. This can attract foreign tourists to both states,” Prince Abiodun said.

Speaking about the potential of the Adire fabric, Governor Abiodun said that his administration had taken a number of initiatives to try and revive the Adire industry, which was progressively going out of business. These initiatives included instituting the culture of wearing the fabric once a week, particularly in the government circle, and posting “Adire Ok” on Twitter for online purchases.

The Chinese were coming to Ogun State to replicate the patterns, take them to China, make the Adire and Ankara, and sell them cheaper than those produced by our people, regardless of how beautiful they were, he claimed. As in Osun, the industry was dying when he took government.

“No matter what it is, it remains our small business enterprise that employs a lot of our people and it has been so for many generations.”

Prince Abiodun commended Governor Adeleke for his good work in his state and for being a focused and diligent person, even as he recalled the long-existing relationship between them.

He noted that being in different political parties doesn’t matter as politics is just a platform meant to achieve objectives.

“We have found ourselves in different political groupings. Politics is just a platform; it is a platform to achieve our objective.

“I want to commend the good works that you are doing in your state, you are a man of destiny. In a short time, you have done creditably well. You remain a very focused, diligent, deliberate and a very loyal person to your friends, family and your peers,” he said.

Abiodun said his administration is in talks with the Federal Ministry of Works about some roads that are of importance to both states, one of which is a road that allows people to travel to Osun State without passing through Ibadan.

The governor also said that the decision to add the road to the list of roads that are of importance to his administration was in continuation of his administration’s plan to make connectivity with border states easy.

He said: “I also want us to look at other areas that we can cooperate and collaborate for the benefit of our people.

“Yesterday (Thursday), we were discussing with the Federal Ministry of Works about roads that are of priority to us and we are looking at a particular road that has been identified as a very critical road to us because that road starts in Ogun State and goes all the way to Osun State. It will allow us to go to Osun without having to go through Ibadan.”

Speaking earlier, Governor Adeleke expressed delight with the cordial relations between indigenes of both states, stressing the need to explore and exploit the cultural affinity for the good of the people.

Adeleke emphasized the need to promote unity at all times, saying the people of both states are one, hence politics of bitterness should not be used as a means of separation, just as his administration is ready to work with the Ogun State government in the area of cultural reawakening and promotion.

As Adeleke visits, Abiodun seeks a joint Ogun/Osun cultural celebration.

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