ARE-EKITI DAY 2026: WHAT TO EXPECT, WHAT NOT TO EXPECT
Every community has a day it remembers itself. For us in Are-Ekiti, that day is Are-Ekiti Day and this year, it’s coming up on Saturday November 21, 2026. As the Central Planning Committee works round the clock for the 2026 edition, with the major launching of the *N500 Million Are-Ekiti Resource Centre*, expectations are high both at home and in the diaspora. What should we look forward to, and what should we not bring to the table?Let us set the tone right.
WHAT TO EXPECT
1. A Historic Homecoming:* Are-Ekiti Day 2026 is not just another homecoming. It is a historic one because we are laying the foundation for our future. Expect sons and daughters from Ado-Ekiti, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, London, Houston and Canada to return home. The old compound greetings will be louder this year because we have a common purpose.
2. The N500 Million Are-Ekiti Resource Centre is the Star Project:* Expect the official launching and fundraising for the Are-Ekiti Resource Centre. This is not a hall for meetings alone. This is our vision for the next 50 years. Expect a centre that will house:- A digital library and e-learning centre for our students who currently travel to Ado-Ekiti to read- A skills acquisition and vocational hub for our welders, fashion designers, hairdressers, farmers and youth in ICT- A civic hall and meeting point for community engagements, town-hall meetings and cultural preservation- An entrepreneurship and business support hub for our market women and MSMEsExpect the architectural design to be unveiled, the site to be shown, and the bill of quantities to be transparently presented. This N500 million is not for jamboree, but for legacy.
3. Culture at Its Best:* Expect Are Ekiti to showcase its Yoruba heritage. The drumming, the Egungun, our traditional dishes, our dialect that bonds us. Our Kabiyesi, the Alare of Are-Ekiti, and his Council of Chiefs will lead us in reaffirming our identity. Expect cultural troupe presentations that remind our children who we are.
4. Transparent Fundraising and Recognition:* Expect a transparent launching where every kobo is accounted for. Like the best community days across Ekiti today, expect public display of donors, immediate issuance of receipts, and constitution of a Building and Management Committee with credible people both at home and in the diaspora. Expect recognition and awards for worthy sons and daughters — not just money-bags, but teachers, health workers, farmers and young achievers who have made Are-Ekiti proud.
5. Order and Security:Expect a well-coordinated, daytime-focused programme with clear guidelines from the Planning Committee, in line with security consciousness across Ekiti communities. No rowdy night activities.WHAT NOT TO EXPECT
1. Don’t Expect a Political Rally:* Are-Ekiti Day is not a campaign ground. We should not expect any politician to hijack the Resource Centre launching to abuse opponents or turn the microphone into a rally for 2027. The Resource Centre belongs to all of us. It is for all non-partisan indigenes. Our development is bigger than any party. Any politician who comes should come as an Are indigene, not for any political patronage.
2. Don’t Expect the N500 Million to be Raised in One Day:* Let us be realistic. The N500m is a target, not a one-day collection. Don’t expect pressure, intimidation or public shaming for how much anyone gives. Are-Ekiti Day thrives on voluntary love, not extortion. The launching will open a 6 to 12-month window where people at home and abroad can still contribute in tranches. Every N5,000 counts.
3. Don’t Expect to Spend More on Entertainment Than on the Project:* This is not for aso-ebi competition or spraying money at the expense of the Resource Centre. Let us not commit the mistake of spending N10 million to raise N20 million. Expect prudence. The bulk of money spent on the Day itself should go into the Resource Centre account.
4. Don’t Expect Government Alone to Build It for Us:Government will support us, but the era of waiting for government for everything is over. Community is now the driver of development. If we do not build the Resource Centre, no one will build it for us. Don’t expect outsiders to develop Are for us.
5. Don’t Expect Division Over Location, Contractor or Control:* Don’t bring quarter rivalry, family feuds or “it is my father’s land” argument to the Resource Centre project. This is one Are project. Expect the Committee to be fair in siting, to hire qualified Are-Ekiti professionals where available, and to carry every quarter along.
The Centre is for all the quarters in Are Ekiti. It is for our collective tomorrow.At the end of Are-Ekiti Day 2026, we should go home with three things: renewed unity, a credible start to the N500 Million Are-Ekiti Resource Centre with transparent records, and hope for our young ones that Are-Ekiti is building a place where they can learn, work and dream without leaving home.Ilu Are-Ekiti a gbe wa o._
Segun Dipe writes as the Chairman of the Publicity and Communications Committee, and on behalf of the LOC, Are-Ekiti Day 2026._
