The Executive Chairman of Ibarapa Central Local Government, Hon. Olusola Adeleke, has announced plans to seek UNESCO recognition and Federal Government sponsorship for the Igboora World Twins Festival as part of efforts to promote the community’s cultural heritage.
Adeleke made this known in a statement made available to Corefront News on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, by his media aide, Azeez Sodiq Adesina.
He thanked the Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority, Dr. Olayiwola Awakan, for gracing this year’s edition of the festival, describing his presence as a significant milestone in the drive to attract wider national and international recognition for Igboora, renowned for its high incidence of multiple births.
The statement partly reads: “We are not where we were two years ago. The presence of the Federal Government through the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority is an encouraging development.”
Ahead of the 2027 edition of the festival, Adeleke disclosed that his administration would explore opportunities to secure Federal Government sponsorship through the national budget to establish a more sustainable funding framework for the annual celebration.
He also revealed plans to pursue the proposed establishment of a World Twins National Park, which he described as a landmark heritage and tourism project designed to celebrate Igboora’s unique identity as the twin capital of the world.
According to him, the proposed park could create opportunities for cultural preservation, research, investment and local enterprise while further positioning the community as a destination for cultural tourism.
Adeleke, however, acknowledged that achieving these ambitions would require sustained collaboration among the federal and state governments, traditional institutions, tourism organisations, private investors and other development partners.
“Our next step is to engage UNESCO and other tourism organisations in both the public and private sectors. With consistency and the right partnerships, we are confident that we will make further progress,” Adeleke said.
He also commended the sons and daughters of Ibarapa Central, both at home and in the diaspora, for their contributions to preserving and promoting the community’s cultural heritage.
The council boss reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building on the festival’s growing recognition and positioning Igboora as a destination