🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Osun-Osogbo festival targets 500,000 participants for 2026 edition
via Punch Nigeria1 min read
The organisers of the annual Osun-Osogbo Festival anticipate approximately 500,000 participants for the 2026 edition, scheduled from July 27 to August 7. Mr. Oyindamola Olukanni, Media Head of Our Heritage Branding and Advertising Limited, the festival’s marketing consultant, announced this in a statement. Olukanni stated that the globally recognised cultural event is launching new campaign visuals to reposition the festival as a living and uninterrupted civilisation. He highlighted that the festival has been continuously practiced and preserved for over 600 years as a living tradition. The 2026 edition, themed “Preserving Heritage, Inspiring the Future,” emphasizes tradition as a guide to progress. The Osun Sacred Grove, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is noted as one of the last surviving sacred ecosystems where spirituality, culture, and community actively continue. Monthly campaign rollouts have been ongoing since February to boost audience engagement and visibility for participating brands. Pre-festival activities, including the Osun-Osogbo Global Summit on May 29, will gather stakeholders to outline the festival’s strategic direction and announce partners. Olukanni noted that under the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, the festival remains one of Africa’s most enduring cultural institutions, describing it as unbroken, authentic, and globally significant.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council have exchanged accusations following outbreaks of violence in several communities that left approximately three people injured. The unrest reportedly began in Ile-Ife during an APC rally for governorship candidate Bola Oyebamiji, where campaign posters were torn, leading to clashes between alleged hoodlums associated with the APC and Accord party. Eyewitnesses reported the use of dangerous weapons and gunshots, causing panic and injuries. Subsequent shootings were reported in Aisu, Owode-Ede, Aregbesola Area of Osogbo, Olaiya, Old Garage, and Oke Fia. One elderly man was injured in Owode-Ede and a driver was shot in Aregbesola Area. Governor Adeleke visited victims and condemned what he described as "coordinated attacks" by "pro-Ambo political thugs," accusing Marine Minister Gboyega Oyetola and Osun APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji of destabilizing the state. Conversely, the Osun APC Campaign Council, through Remi Omowaiye, accused "hoodlums working for Adeleke" of attacking their supporters and vandalizing campaign buses. The African Democratic Congress Publicity Secretary, Oluwaseun Abosede, also blamed suspected APC thugs for the violence, calling for an investigation by the State Commissioner of Police. The police have confirmed they are investigating the incidents.
Must ReadThe United States has called on other nations to enhance their efforts to stop the spread of Ebola, including through travel restrictions. A State Department official stated that the US has increased its efforts and now the world must do more, emphasizing the need for additional funding and "commonsense restrictions on travel from the affected area." The Ebola outbreak originated last month in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with subsequent cases reported in Uganda. The Trump administration is committed to preventing the virus from entering the US, including by establishing an Ebola treatment center in Kenya for American citizens, a project that has led to protests in Kenya. Axios reported that the Trump administration has urged European countries to implement stricter travel restrictions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed US and European coordination on the Ebola response with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. The State Department's primary focus is protecting American health and preventing the outbreak from reaching the US. The United States has prohibited non-Americans who have been in the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days from visiting. The DR Congo team for the World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, is not expected to be affected by the ban as they have been training in Europe. However, their warm-up match against Chile was relocated from Spain to France due to public concerns about the virus.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has given contractors working on the Abuja-Lokoja highway rehabilitation project 72 hours to fully mobilize to their sites or face sanctions, including potential prosecution by anti-graft and law enforcement agencies. Umahi issued this ultimatum during a joint inspection of the highway with members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works. He warned that contractors who have received government funds but failed to execute projects within agreed timelines would no longer be tolerated. The Minister stated that President Bola Tinubu has approved funds for the project and urged contractors to immediately deploy equipment, personnel, and resources. Umahi expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work by GELD Construction Limited, noting that only 8.2 kilometers of continuously reinforced concrete pavement had been completed on a 28-kilometer stretch despite the contractor spending several years on the project. He also directed Federal Ministry of Works officials to identify the worst sections for immediate intervention and warned against poor supervision, stating that engineers and project managers failing to monitor contractors effectively could be removed. Umahi lamented the hardship faced by commuters due to prolonged construction and warned contractors against obstructing traffic. While acknowledging payment delays, he appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to accelerate fund release for projects f