Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday described the Eyo Festival as a powerful symbol of Lagos’ identity, resilience and cultural continuity, as the revered Adamu Orisha Play returned after an eight-year break.
Speaking at the 2025 Eyo Festival held at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island, the governor said the festival’s return reaffirmed Lagos’ place as the custodian of Nigeria’s living culture, where traditions are preserved rather than abandoned.
“This sacred Adamu Orisha Play returns to Lagos in full splendour, standing as a powerful affirmation of our identity, our resilience, and our unbroken connection to history,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He commended traditional institutions for sustaining the Eyo heritage over the years, noting that their custodianship had ensured the festival continued to unite Lagosians across generations in shared pride and memory.
According to the governor, the 2025 festival was held in honour of four eminent personalities who made significant contributions to Lagos and Nigeria: the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Iyaloja of Lagos and mother of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; former Lagos State Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; former Governor, Sir Michael Otedola; and Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson, Lagos State’s first military administrator.
Sanwo-Olu paid special tribute to Mogaji, describing her as a symbol of the strength, leadership and enterprise of Lagos women.
“As a market leader, activist, philanthropist and political pathfinder, she embodied courage, discipline and service,” he said, adding that those values were reflected in President Tinubu’s leadership style.
He explained that the Eyo tradition is reserved for individuals deemed worthy by history, stressing that the long interval before this year’s rites highlighted the enduring relevance of the honourees’ legacies.
“The Eyo tradition, which escorts great contributors to the ancestral realm, is not bound by immediacy but by worthiness,” the governor said.
Beyond its cultural importance, Sanwo-Olu noted that the Eyo Festival also boosts tourism and economic activities while projecting Lagos on the global stage.
“Our streets become a theatre of history; our talking drums, a universal language; and our white-clad Eyos, ambassadors of identity,” he said.
He urged residents to remain committed to preserving Lagos’ heritage while pursuing development under the THEMES Plus agenda, noting that progress is most meaningful when rooted in culture and shared values.
The governor thanked President Tinubu, traditional rulers, dignitaries and residents for witnessing what he described as a historic return, and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining Lagos’ cultural legacy.
