“Our Culture is Ready, Our Food is Ready” — Olupole Declares as Ipole-Iloro Hosts World Tourism Day

By Joseph Sunday

The Olupole of Ipole-Iloro Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ezekiel Babatola Oladele, JP, has declared the community is fully ready to host the world for the 2026 World Tourism Day celebration on Sunday, September 27.

Oba Oladele, who spoke ahead of the global event, said the host community of the famous Arinta Waterfalls is prepared to showcase its rich cultural heritage and hospitality.

“Our culture is ready, our food is ready,” the monarch declared, assuring tourists and visitors of a warm and memorable experience in Ipole-Iloro.

Oba Oladele described the selection of Arinta Waterfalls as venue for this year’s celebration as a major milestone for Ipole-Iloro and a strategic boost for Ekiti State tourism.

According to the monarch, the event presents a prime opportunity to showcase one of Ekiti’s most important natural assets to a national and global audience.

He said guests should expect a first-class cultural experience featuring traditional dance and music, local arts and crafts, heritage exhibitions and indigenous cuisine, adding that a special Pounded Yam Arena has been created to highlight the hospitality and culinary identity of the community.

The Olupole noted that this year’s theme — “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism” — is timely and directly relevant to Arinta Waterfalls, stressing that destination growth now depends on digital visibility, online mapping, photography, videography, social media, digital storytelling and emerging technologies.

“The celebration will provide a practical opportunity to demonstrate how digital tools can be deployed to promote Arinta Waterfalls, improve its visibility and attract more visitors,” he said.

Oba Oladele explained that the photos, videos, media coverage and digital content to be generated from the event will continue to promote the destination long after the celebration.

He called on community leaders, youths, women groups, artisans, food vendors and cultural troupes to rally behind the programme and put Ipole-Iloro’s best foot forward.

“Ipole-Iloro is ready. Arinta is ready. Our culture is ready. Our food is ready. Our people are ready to welcome the world,” the monarch declared.

The celebration at Arinta Waterfalls is expected to attract tourism and hospitality operators, digital innovators, students, media practitioners, content creators, youth entrepreneurs, traditional institutions and government stakeholders, blending tourism, culture, cuisine, technology and destination marketing as a practical demonstration of how digital innovation can strengthen existing tourism assets and stimulate local economic growth.