One point we must not ignore in the conversation about the growth of entertainment and tourism in Oyo State is the level of government support available to indigenous events and homegrown entertainment brands.
Yes, some cultural activities are emerging through the Oyo State Council for Arts and Culture, and the government has increasingly demonstrated interest in cultural promotion. The state itself maintains an official calendar recognising numerous festivals and tourism events, while the Council for Arts and Culture is responsible for coordinating and documenting cultural festivals across Oyo.
But the question remains: what happens to the major indigenous events that have independently built audiences, survived several editions and are helping to put Ibadan and Oyo State on Nigeria's entertainment and tourism map?
These events deserve deliberate government support, particularly financial and institutional backing, so that they can grow bigger, attract wider audiences and become nationally and internationally recognised platforms.
This is not simply about helping event organisers.
It is about economic development.
A successful festival brings visitors into the state. Visitors spend money on hotels, restaurants, transportation, fashion, food, entertainment, shopping and other services. Vendors make money. Artistes and creatives get opportunities. Event centres benefit. Young people find temporary and permanent jobs. Businesses gain visibility. Government ultimately benefits through increased economic activity and tax-related revenues.
The Oyo State Government itself has acknowledged the economic potential of tourism. In 2026, the state presented a long-term tourism strategy projecting that tourism could eventually generate between ₦250 billion and ₦500 billion annually for Oyo State.
If that is the ambition, then homegrown entertainment cannot be treated as an afterthought.
What we should critically examine is the tendency to give considerable attention and resources to major entertainment events brought into the state by established national stars, while indigenous event brands that have been building the ecosystem from the ground up struggle to sustain themselves.
There is nothing wrong with bringing major artistes such as Davido or Fola to Oyo State. Such concerts can attract visitors and create excitement. But we should also ask a simple question:
Where is the equivalent appreciation for the people and entertainment brands that have been building Ibadan's own industry for years?
Oyo must learn to celebrate what comes from its own creative industry.
Among the recurring events that deserve greater recognition and consideration for strategic support are:
ChocParty
Amala Festival
One Mic with DJ Secxy
DJ Gavpop Party Invasion
Ibadan International Film Festival
Feast of Words / Words Rhymes & Rhythm
Fanfaro Auto Fest
Festival of Talents
Ibadan Cultural Festival
These are not simply names on an entertainment calendar. They represent entrepreneurs, promoters, artistes, DJs, filmmakers, writers, performers, vendors, technicians, marketers and other creative professionals who have invested their time and resources in building audiences in Oyo State.
ChocParty, for instance, traces its event history back to 2010 and continues to list annual editions, including its 2025 event.
The larger point is that many of these indigenous platforms have had to struggle to maintain their momentum, despite some having survived five or more editions largely through private effort.
Imagine what could happen if the government deliberately identified such events, supported them financially, provided appropriate venues and infrastructure, promoted them through official tourism channels and connected them with private-sector sponsors.
Instead of merely importing entertainment into Oyo, we can build entertainment in Oyo and export it to the rest of Nigeria and the world.
That should be the real objective.
Government support should not mean taking over these events. It should mean creating an environment in which indigenous organisers can scale what they have already built.
Oyo State has the culture. It has the people. It has the history. It has the creative talent.
What it needs now is a stronger commitment to investing in its own entertainment ecosystem.
Because when an indigenous festival succeeds, Oyo succeeds with it.
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