Three promiment music stars, Innocent Idibia a.k.a. Tubaba, Saheed Osupa and Yinka Ayefele, are expected to perform at Aramoko Heritage Festival (ARAHFEST) show in Aramoko-Ekiti in Ekiti State.
Festival Director, Prof. Ojo Rasaki Bakare, disclosed this at a press briefing and unveiling of the festival logo in Aramoko-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government Area.
The festival which holds between 9th and 11th November 2017 will also feature Miss Aramoko Beauty Pageant, carnivals at the four quarters of the town, arts and crafts exhibition and homage to the Alara of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba Adegoke Olu Adeyemi.
Bakare, the first Professor of Dance in Africa, said the organisers had entered into discussion with a brewery, a telecommunications firm and other corporate organisations to bankroll the festival.
The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) don said ARAHFEST aims to project the culture and tourism potentials of Aramoko community which is a historic Yoruba town.
Bakare revealed that series of training will be organised for youths and adults that will participate at the carnival with experts invited from outside of the state for that purpose.
He said: “The festival was conceived to engage the youths of the town and take them away from criminality and negativity. Many of them have been idle and their hands have become workshop for the devil.
“We want our youths to be busy positively and that is why we have loaded the festival with youth-related activities. Every activity will be a competition among the youths from the four quarters of the town.
“We are bringing in Tuface, Yinka Ayefele, Saheed Osupa to be supported by local musicians. There will also be indigenous carnival to be performed by traditionalists, hunters, blacksmiths, farmers who will wear various constumes.”
President of Aramoko Development Association (ADA), Dr. Dipo Aladeloye, said ARAHFEST is being redesigned, remodelled and rebranded from the old “Ara Day” to showcase the culture and tradition of the town.
The Alara, Oba Adeyemi said: “This festival will go a very long way to develop them. The festival would also motivate our youths to identify their talents and make good use of them.”
