Ile-Ife agog for Ooni’s Olojo festival
This year edition of Olojo festival was celebrated with pomp and pageantry as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II in his unique style dazzled tourists and his subjects who thronged the ancient town to witness the spectacular event.
The festival was heralded with ‘Gbajure’, the proclamation across town by traditional town criers.
In the preparation for this year Olojo festival in the historical city of Ile-Ife, the Oba Ogunwusi spent 7 days in seclusion inside Iledi, a shrine located at Iremo quarters where he performed traditional rites and offered prayers.
During the period, the monarch who was incommunicado was believed to be conversing with the gods seeking blessings for his subjects and the entire black race.
The Director of media and Public Affairs at the palace of Ooni in Ile-Ife, Moses Olafare told Daily Trust on Sunday that Oba Ogunwusi completed the 7-day seclusion on Saturday, the day of the grand finale of the Olojo festival.
As the monarch came out from the seclusion, a mammoth crowd gathered and as he appeared with the Oduduwa’s sacred Aare Crown traditionally adorned once in a year, the crowd cheered him as people relayed for blessings and wealth. The revered Oba offered prayers for citizens, Ife Kingdom, state and entire Nigeria.
People from far and near including some Nigerians in the Diaspora came to celebrate the festival with the Ooni as well as tourists from different parts of the world.
The Olojo festival typifies the rich culture of Ile-Ife and the Yoruba nation.
Mrs Regina Paul from Brazil expressed delight and charged the promoters of the festival to up the game and attract more tourists next year.
Another tourist, Mr Wills Ben Elaso wants the festival to be given more publicity to gain attention of the international communities. He admonished the people of Ile Ife to promote their cultural heritage so that it won’t go into extinction. He appealed to Yoruba race to jointly embrace the tradition of their fore bearers, repackage and export it.
A member of the Hunter Association in Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Olafioye, reemphasized the importance of the festival as the celebration of the remembrance of Ogun, god of Iron, who is believed to be the first son of Oduduwa, progenitor of the Yoruba indigenes.
The Aare Sooko of Ife Kingdom, Chief Aratunde Arayanju lauded the Ooni for promoting the Yoruba culture and urged Nigerians, especially people from Ile-Ife to imbibe the culture and support the Ooni to take the Yoruba race to higher ground.
He noted that the Olojo festival signified the day the world was made and that it was an indication of new beginning of positive things in Osun State. He said the festival was a commemoration of the creation of the first dusk and dawn.
Osun State Governor Mr Rauf Aregbesola represented by his Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism, Mrs Taiwo Oluga said the festival remains an important to ensure that the identity of the Yoruba race is preserved for the coming generation.
The Governor promised to continue to support cultural activities as part of efforts to foster unity and promote harmonious relationship among people of different religious beliefs.
Adorning the mystic crown, Oba Ogunwusi walked to Oke Mogun, where he completed the rites of the festival.