FirstBank of Nigeria Ltd has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage with the sponsorship of the Oke-Odan Cultural Festival 2025 held in the Oke-Odan community of Yewa South Local Government Area, Ogun State.
In a statement on Wednesday, the bank said the sponsorship was driven by its First@Arts initiative, which promotes African culture, as well as its #DecemberIssaVybe campaign, which celebrates culture, tourism and lifestyle at the end of every year.
The 2025 edition of the festival, themed “Leveraging Cultural Integration for Economic Prosperity,” focused on preserving cultural heritage while fostering economic opportunities within the community.
FirstBank noted that its support for the event also emphasised youth engagement and economic empowerment, as award presentations and the commissioning of community projects formed part of the celebrations.
The festival also served as a unifying platform for indigenes of Oke-Odan in the diaspora to reconnect with their roots and contribute to the community’s development.
Speaking at the event, the Oloke–Odan of Oke–Odan, Oba Oluwarotimi Fagbenro, commended FirstBank and other contributors for their roles in sustaining and promoting the community’s cultural heritage.
“Our rich cultural heritage in general language is hereby being celebrated more than ever before,” the monarch said.
He described the festival as a celebration of heritage, wellness, education and development, adding that it had also become an important platform for cultural homecoming.
Oba Fagbenro revealed that the festival, which began as Oke-Odan Day in 2022, has now expanded in scope due to increased participation and community involvement.
The traditional ruler also appealed to the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to construct the Oke-Odan bypass road linking the Owode–Idiroko road, noting that the community has persistently made the request since the inception of the current administration.
