Get Guardian on GoogleOgbomoso is set to welcome indigenes from across the world for the third edition of the Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival, a five-day cultural festival scheduled to hold from December 17 to 21, 2026, to celebrate the town’s heritage, promote unity and reconnect people in the diaspora with their ancestral roots.
The Chairman of the Carnival’s Central Planning Committee, Hon. Segun Dokun Odebunmi, disclosed this at a world press conference held at the palace of the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III.
Odebunmi said the carnival was conceived as part of the monarch’s 25-year development agenda for Ogbomoso, adding that the event would provide a platform to showcase the community’s rich cultural heritage and strengthen bonds among its people.He said the five-day programme would feature traditional ceremonies, sporting competitions, religious activities, exhibitions, music and other cultural displays.
“The beauty of our culture is in our diversity, but the strength of our culture is in our unity,” Odebunmi said.
The carnival will open on Thursday, December 17, with a Gran Fondo cycling competition from Iseyin to Ogbomoso, alongside exhibitions of local food and arts. The opening ceremony will take place at the Soun Ogunlola Arena, featuring traditional hunters’ displays, Bata acrobatic dances and musical performances at the palace.
Activities on Friday, December 18, will include Islamic prayers, the installation of chieftaincy title holders, Jumat service, Odun Oole and music.Saturday, December 19, will feature the Ogbomoso Marathon, the Oba Ghandi Golf Tournament at the Ogbomoso Recreation Club, as well as chess, scrabble, Ayo Olopon and the finals of pre-carnival competitions.
The third anniversary of the coronation of Oba Olaoye will be marked on Sunday, December 20, with a thanksgiving service. Other activities include a book launch and public presentation, autism sensitisation and training, a concert and an awards night.The carnival will end on Monday, December 21, with Ajilete Day at the Soun Stadium, where socio-cultural groups, clubs and associations are expected to pay homage to the Soun. The Oyo State Governor and other dignitaries are also expected at the event.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the state government had supported the planning of the carnival since its inception three years ago.The commissioner explained that Governor Seyi Makinde had involved officials of the ministries responsible for culture, tourism and information in the planning process.
Oyelade said adequate security arrangements had been put in place through committees involving serving and retired military personnel, as well as senior police officers.He added that some members of the security committees had experience in security operations in Sierra Leone, Eastern Europe and Liberia, assuring prospective visitors that there was no cause for concern.
The commissioner also disclosed that the number of diaspora indigenes returning to Ogbomoso had tripled, while hotels across the town were fully booked.He attributed the growing interest to increased confidence in the town’s security and development prospects under the Soun’s 25-year development agenda.
