Lagos State Government has announced the Gele Festival, scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026, to celebrate the Yoruba traditional headtie and the artisans who preserve the cultural practice.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, announced the festival in a post on X, saying the initiative followed a proposal from a Lagos resident who called for the gele to be honoured and protected through its inclusion on the state’s calendar.
“Months ago, a passionate son of Lagos wrote to us about the gele. He asked that it be honoured, protected, and given its rightful place on the Lagos calendar. We listened. We affirmed. And today, we deliver. The Lagos Gele Festival is here!” Aregbe wrote.
He described the gele as more than a headtie, calling it a crown and a symbol of Yoruba identity and culture.
“The gele is not just a headtie. It is a crown. It is Yoruba. It is ours,” he said.
According to Aregbe, the festival will celebrate gele stylists, fabric makers, headtie tiers, photographers and generations of women who have sustained the tradition.
The event is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. at Eko Amore Garden, Lagos.
Aregbe also invited Lagos residents, lovers of the city, brands and prospective partners to contribute ideas and support the festival.
He urged participants to attend in their gele, adding that the initiative aims to showcase Lagos culture to the world.
