Lagos Sets November 8 for Inaugural Gele Festival
Kehinde Adeleye
The Lagos State Government has announced the Lagos Gele Festival, scheduled for Sunday, November 8, 2026, to celebrate the Yoruba traditional headtie and honour the artisans and generations of women preserving the cultural practice.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe, announced the festival in a post on X, explaining that the initiative followed a proposal from a Lagos resident who called for the gele to be recognised 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 traditional headtie, calling it a crown and a symbol of Yoruba identity and cultural heritage.
“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 p.m. at Eko Amore Garden in Lagos.
Aregbe also invited Lagos residents, lovers of the city, brands and prospective partners to contribute ideas and support the festival.
He encouraged participants to attend wearing their gele, saying the initiative aims to showcase Lagos culture to a wider international audience.
The festival is expected to provide a platform for celebrating the creativity, craftsmanship and cultural significance of the gele while recognising the people whose skills have helped preserve the tradition across generations.
