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

The Festival Director, Professor Rasaki Ojo Bakare, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at Ado-Ekiti.

He said the event is 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 the LGAs will showcase their theatrical talents, with the top four earning prizes and awards, adding that the competition is 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 will feature three command performances to celebrate Nigeria’s historical figures, including Ladi Kwali, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Chief Moshood Abiola.

The director stressed that the festival is 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.

He added that all security measures have been put in place to ensure maximum security for tourists, adding that the festival would further put the state on the map of cultural heritage.

His words, “The festival will begin on the 20th of August and end on the 25th of August, 2025. The 20th is when artists, tourists, and stakeholders will arrive in Ekiti State. All activities will be held inside the hall at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre, specifically in the Arts Theatre, except on the 24th, when we will all be going to Ikogosi. The activities on the 24th are devoted to the Ikoogosi Resort.
“The content of the festival is designed in a way that Ekiti State is mapped into the traditional 16 local governments. Each of the 16 local governments will bring a theatrical performance. The 16 local governments are competing, and we will select the top four for prizes and awards.
“Bringing this festival into Ekiti is part of our effort to mainstream creative arts into the economy of Ekiti State. We are hosting this festival because art is soft power in international and national diplomacy. I can proudly state that Ekiti State today enjoys a good image nationally and internationally.”

Three special “command performances” will also be staged: Ladi Kwali (August 21), Sardauna (August 22), and Kashimawo (August 23), all of which are historical plays designed to teach moral lessons and preserve Nigeria’s heritage.

He emphasised that the festival is aimed at boosting the state’s image, identifying young talents, and contributing to the local economy.
“Thousands of tourists will lodge in our hotels, buy goods, and spend money here. That is how economies are built,” he said.
He added that the event would also position Ekiti prominently on the global cultural map, while encouraging residents to attend in large numbers and extend the state’s trademark hospitality to visitors.