In a show of commitment to Nigerian culture and community prosperity, FirstBank of Nigeria Ltd today reaffirmed its support for the 2025 Oke-Odan Cultural Festival, scheduled for the Oke-Odan community in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State. The bank said the backing is part of its broader First@Arts programme and its year-end lifestyle campaign, DecemberIssaVybe, both designed to promote African culture, stimulate tourism, and create opportunities for economic growth.
According to the bank’s statement, this year’s festival carries the theme: “Leveraging Cultural Integration for Economic Prosperity,” emphasising a dual mission: to preserve heritage and provide real economic benefits to participants.
The bank described its sponsorship as more than a cultural gesture. It said that by funding the festival and its various components, award presentations, project commissioning, and community engagement activities, it aims to foster youth involvement, stimulate local commerce, and generate income for community stakeholders.
During the event, the festival will serve as a homecoming for residents and members of the diaspora alike, creating a forum for reconnection, cultural exchange, and collective celebration. According to the report, the event also fosters unity among community members.
The traditional ruler of Oke-Odan, the Oba Oluwarotimi Fagbenro, praised FirstBank and other sponsors for their dedication to preserving cultural heritage. “Our rich cultural heritage … is hereby being celebrated more than ever before,” he said. He also noted that what began in 2022 as a modest “Oke-Odan Day” has since evolved into a full-blown festival, driven partly by growing community involvement.
This trend aligns with a broader national recognition that the arts and culture sector can serve as a powerful engine for growth. Through First@Arts, FirstBank has previously supported a range of cultural initiatives from theatre productions to national art competitions, underlining the creative industry’s role as a driver of job creation, youth engagement, and cultural preservation.
Beyond celebrating heritage, FirstBank’s support helps stimulate local economies: festivals like Oke-Odan attract visitors, boost spending on lodging, food, and crafts, and open up new income opportunities for residents. Through such initiatives, cultural events become engines for job creation, tourism revenue, and sustainable community development.
