This year’s 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.
The monarch had last Sunday went into seclusion to commune with the gods and his ancestors, seeking the progress of the race globally, Nigeria and the world.
Glitz and glamour was added to the traditional festival with the presence of various traditional rulers, including His Royal Majesty, Rabagaye Konjwa Bonge II of the Ndebele Nation, South Africa.
Ife sons and daughters thronged the Ile-Oodua palace in various colourful traditional attires to further make the event colourful.
Speaking with newsmen at the grand finale of the event, the South African monarch lamented over lack of unity among African countries, saying only a Unitee African could conquer the world.
“Wherever you are as Africans, let’s come back to our homes. You don’t need to run away from your home. Our own problem is our problem and we need to face and solve it as a people. Genuine solution would not come from outsiders but from us.
“With our rich natural, human resource and culture, if we are united, we can conquer the world and the continent would reclaim its rightful place globally”, he said.
Also speaking, Osun state’s Commissioner for Political and Inter-governmental Affairs, Biyi Odunlade said the essence of Olojo festival was to celebrate African culture and traditions.
“The Essence of Olojo festival is to celebrate us as a race. Celebrate our language, our culture and traditions, hence, the people rally round the Ooni to ensure that our culture and traditions are adequately preserved”, he added.
Later in the evening, the Ooni went back into the traditional palace and re-emerged with the traditional ‘Are’ crown and proceeded to the Oke-mogun shrine for other traditional rites.
- Sodiq Lawal and Yusuf Oketola
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
