Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, 5,000 tourists, artists, and stakeholders from within and outside Nigeria are expected to converge on Ekiti State for the maiden edition of the Ekiti International Theatre Festival (EITF), scheduled to hold from August 20 to 25, 2025.

The Festival Director, Prof. Rasaki Ojo Bakare, disclosed this yesterday while addressing journalists in Ado-Ekiti. He said the event was a private-public partnership between the Lagos-based Duke of Shomolu Foundation and the Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy.

Bakare said LGAs would showcase their theatrical talents, with the top four earning prizes and awards, adding that the competition was part of a broader initiative by the Duke of Shomolu Foundation to identify and nurture young talents for future opportunities in the creative arts industry.

Speaking further, Bakare said the 2025 International Theatre Festival would feature three command performances to celebrate Nigeria’s historical figures, such as Ladi Kwali, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Moshood Abiola.

The Director stressed that the festival was also poised to drive economic growth and promote the cultural heritage of Ekiti State, leveraging the soft power of the arts to build its reputation as a hub for creativity and talent.