Ekiti State will host the final of the 2026 World Iyan Carnival on December 27 as part of efforts to promote African food, culture, agriculture and tourism globally.
The organisers, led by Prince Ade Ajayi, said the carnival has grown beyond a cultural celebration into a platform for agro-tourism, food security, investment, entertainment and economic development.
Ajayi commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for supporting the initiative and promoting Ekiti as a destination for culture, tourism, agriculture and investment. An invitation has also been extended to President Bola Tinubu as special guest of honour.
A major attraction will be an attempt to set a Guinness World Records feat using more than 100 traditional Odò Iyan (mortars and pestles) simultaneously to prepare pounded yam. The pounded yam will be arranged into a monumental pyramid.
The carnival features four major initiatives: the World Iyan Carnival, including the Iyan Challenge and Omoge Iyan Pageant; the 50 Million Yam Tuber Cultivation Initiative; the Aafin Iyan Resort; and the Origin of Iyan Documentary.
Organisers said the yam initiative will boost food security, support farmers and attract investment, while the Ilasa Yam Conditioning Centre is receiving renewed attention to strengthen yam production and processing in the state.
The organisers also unveiled the 100 Odò Iyan Legacy Project, allowing individuals and organisations to sponsor mortars bearing their names.
The Iyan Challenge, held across communities, will culminate at the Ekiti finale, while cultural links have been established with Brazil, Grenada, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries.
Ajayi called on governments, businesses, farmers, investors, tourism operators, culinary professionals, communities and Nigerians in the diaspora to support the carnival, describing it as an opportunity to experience Ekiti, invest in agriculture, explore tourism and promote African culinary heritage.