By Chris Chimezie
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Just like Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into the City of Jerusalem, so it was for the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, when they rode on decorated cart pulled by a white horse round the city of Akure as part of activities for the take-off of the maiden edition of the Ondo 2018 Festival of Arts, Culture and Tourism, ARTFEST.

The Art and Culture festival which was organised by the State Government in conjunction with Oshodi Arts Gallery, during the roadshow, attracted elated residents, who trooped out in their large number to catch a glimpse of the governor, who consistently acknowledged cheers from the crowd.

The Carnival Float took the governor and his deputy from their Alagbaka office, through the popular NEPA Roundabout and to the International Culture and Event Centre (The Dome), venue of the colourful event tagged “Togetherness”.

Declaring the 2018 Ondo ARTFEST open, the Governor said the festival is targeted at showcasing the tourism potentials of the State as well as serving as a platform to bring together, people of the state.

He added that the programme would promote community contributions, mutual respect, understanding and unity.

The Governor however assured that the festival would be better packaged during the next edition with lots of funfair and side attractions that would further add glamour to the event and make it more entertaining.

Earlier, Ondo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Ismaila Olurimisi commended the Governor for the support to package and execute the festival which he described as unprecedented.

He stated that the programme, apart from creating awareness and promoting artworks and cultural potentials of the state, is also aimed at generating a financial forecast of over 100 million naira and boosting the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

The Commissioner further stated that the festival will more importantly, expose the hidden treasures of the state in art and culture and propagate them to the outside world.

Managing Director of Oshodi Arts Gallery, Mr Oshodi Paul, solicited for more support for government to make the festival an annual event which would help in showcasing the rich cultural potentials embedded in the state.

Oshodi stressed that the festival is designed to promote cross-cultural awareness, economic and social development, cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue as well as fostering intercultural relationships.

The Co-Organiser, however mentioned the festival’s activities to include: agro-tourism, Mountain racing, Food and drink festival, Face painting, Fashion show, Tourist site seeing, Afro-modern fashion show carnival, Book and literature as well as Ethno-tourism and Summit.

Highpoint of the event was the inspection of various artworks at the exhibition stand by the Governor and lighting of fireworks that held the mammoth crowd spellbound.