The maiden edition of the Ogun Waterside Festival 2022 scheduled for December 15th, 2022, on the scenic waterfront of Iwopin town will celebrate Ogun State’s tourism and economic potential, according to the organisers.

Ogun Waterside Festival 2022, a three-phase annual programme that will promote the economic development of Ogun Waterside Local Government Area (OWLGA), showcases the locality and wider Ogun State to the world through seafood cuisines, culture, tourism, and entertainment is organised by Princess Royal Frontiers, in partnership with Ogun State Government and other partners, a development accelerator founded by Princess Abioye Phillips.

Princess Abioye Phillips announced in a statement that Ogun Waterside Sea Food  Festival 2022 will provide a full-day showcasing and opening up Ogun Waterside as an investment destination of choice for leisure, business, and entertainment.

The first phase of the Festival is co-locating the Seafood Festival 2022 with the second phase showcasing the Boat Regatta Competition popularly called “Olokosi” to follow in 2023 across a broader roadmap to open up the sea-front area of Ogun Waterside for tourism, investments, and entertainment.

“Ogun Waterside remains the pristine jewel of Ogun State waiting to be discovered and the Ogun Waterside Sea Food Festival 2022 offers opportunities for attendees from across Ogun State, Nigeria, and beyond to take part in the symbolic annual event marking the end of a fruitful year and ushering in a new one,” according to Princess Phillips.

“Ogun Waterside Sea Food Festival 2022 will unlock the treasure of the Lagoon and the Atlantic waters in Ogun State. The Festival will further celebrate the indigenous people around the coastal areas and the seafood market towns like Iwopin, Oni, Imaku-Omi, Ode-Omi, Iba, Igbosere, Okun Elefon, Igele, Eba 1, Eba 2, Agerige, Igbo-Edu, Irokun, among others who have through their profession depended on the natural resources provided by the water,” she added.

She explained that despite showcasing the treasured culture and tradition of the great people of Ogun Waterside, “during the festival we would creatively leverage technology to showcase the best seafood cuisine to Africa and the world, from the biggest fish to crab, snail, prawns and rare breeds of all the ocean has to offer through featured exhibitions of creatively-made seafood delicacies.”

The maiden edition opening on December 15th, 2022, in Iwopin is to be launched by His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, and will also be attended by royal fathers, dignitaries, and attendees from across Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

According to Princess Phillips, the Princess Royal Frontiers is supporting the empowerment of local entrepreneurship by promoting Ogun Waterside as the destination of choice for tourism, culture, and economic development.

“We have also been at the forefront of empowering the local women to meet international standards for seafood export business through training and other skills and capacity development initiatives,” according to the Princess Royal Frontiers Founder.

She said that the Ogun Waterside Seafood Festival 2022 will be a walk-around event featuring the Boat Regatta “Okosi” and “Esa” (The Traditional Dance) for entertainment, the creative display of various cuisines. “They are a cultural expression of our indigenous reserve and a showcase of the rich agricultural traditions of Ogun Waterside in Ogun State.”

The event will welcome over 10,000 exhibitors, participants, and attendees cutting across the aquaculture value chain and allied stakeholders.

Picture: Princess Abioye Phillips