Olojo Festival: Celebration Of Tradition, Social And Tourism Development

On Saturday, October 6, the ancient town of Ile-Ife in the state of Osun was a host of its sons and daughters, as well as tourists from all over the world, as the annual Olojo Festival was celebrated glamorously. SOLA JACOBS writes on the genesis and colour added to the celebrations.

The celebration of this year’s Olojo festival in Ile-Ife, State of Osun was with a difference, as it was celebrated with pomp and pageantry owing to the glamours added to it by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II and his subjects, as well as tourists, who thronged the ancient town for the event.

Olojo festival, as celebrated at the cradle of Yoruba race, Ile-Ife is believed to signify the day that day comes into existence.

History refers to Olojo festival as the day that DAY comes into existence with the mighty power of ‘Olodumare’ through deities who are His subordinate and act in accordance to His authority. This only reinstate the polytheistic nature of African belief, that the Almighty God is too supreme to be approached by mere mortal hence the need for intermediary between HIM and man.

Ogun, the god of Iron was believed to have paved way for other deities to come to the earth, as he was believe to be “way maker”.

However, Olojo comes up every October in Ife festival calendar and the month is known to be a month of plenty, when bountiful harvest is made by farmers, artisans and business people. The celebration is meant to appreciate the Supreme Being for new contacts, breakthrough, as family men and women owed it a gratitude to Almighty for increase, preservation and blessing in their respective homes. Hence, Olojo festival is the festival of appreciation to God that makes day to be day and to various deities that collaborated with Him to make man comfortable and enjoy all that the nature bequeathed to him.

How does the day for this celebration fix? It starts with the eclipse of the sun, which is often refers to as lunar eclipse. In geography this is always once in four years, but in Ife festival calendar, it is always spiritually discerned.

Secondly, the Ooni, the paramount ruler of Yoruba race, any where he might be would hear unseen drum that will compel him to go into seclusion for seven days, which always echoed in chanting of “Gbajure! Baba hin o ebo re a fin, etutu re ada”.

Women, especially the queens from the royal house, that is, king’s maternal and paternal home will come to the palace for spiritual cleansing which preludes and conclude Ooni’s going into incommunicado.

In his seclusion, he remains in fasting, not in contact with any mortal being in a secluded portion of the palace offering prayers and supplications for the well being of black race and humanity at large.

During the period, the monarch is believed to be conversing with the gods seeking blessings for his subjects and the entire black race.

In the process, he could foresee what will happen to the black people and asked to offer sacrifice according to the dictate of the deities.

But the icing that caps the festival is the wearing of historical Aare crown which was believe to be worn by Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race which is in the custody of the Ooni, as the supreme ruler of the Yoruba people.

The celebration was sometimes being restricted to celebration of idols which made many to detest participation in it, but with dynamic of time and season, the celebration is taking shift from past to make it modern and acceptable to all and sundry, especially with the current Ooni Ogunwusi.

In line with the tradition however, in preparation for this year Olojo festival Oba Ogunwusi spent 7 days in seclusion inside Iledi, a shrine located at Iremo quarters where he performed traditional rites and offered prayers.

Oba Ogunwusi, according to the Director of media and Public Affairs at the palace of Ooni in Ile-Ife, Moses Olafare 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 monarch then offered prayers for citizens, Ife Kingdom, state and entire Nigeria.

The Secretary of 2018 Olojo festival committee, Barrister Gbenga Omiwole in a chat with Osun Defender said, to all that came to Olojo festival this year, it must have been noticed that the celebration had taken a new turn.

According to him, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi had made it participatory and involving, as the spiritual aspect is confined to those who had spiritual roles to play, while the all-inclusive aspect such as society parade, novelty competition, awards and scholarship, quiz and debate, as well as the lecture and symposium aspect are opened to all individual.

To him, the Olojo festival transcends Ife festival, but celebration of existence of humanity and the creation of the earth, which the Supreme Being started from the cradle, Ile-nfe which later metamorphosed to “Ile-Ife”. Ile-nfe simply means, where “land begins to expand”.

He added that all human race will soon begin to come to Ile-Ife for the celebration, saying, it is long overdue, as formerly, the whole Yoruba festival especially those that emanate from Ile-Ife is shrouded in mystery because of spiritual aspect of it, “but now, it has become, it is a festival for all comers”.

At this year celebration, Ife festival partners, Japan, China, Korea, Republic of Benin, Ghana and Northern part of the country graced the celebration.

It was also noted that the aesthetic stage mounted at Ooni’s palace and the décor are cynosure of all eyes.

The festival had in no doubt improved to accommodate the interest of all, as it is segmented to fit the collective interest of all participants.

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, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola represented by his Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism, Mrs Taiwo Oluga said the festival remains an important one 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

• Ajinomoto Adds Flavour To Olojo Festival

The West African Food Seasoning Company Limited, maker of Ajinomoto and Ma-Dish seasoning added flavour to Olojo celebration in the ancient city of Ile-Ife by organising cooking competitions for queens from Opa and Agbedegbede ruling houses in Ile-Ife.

The competition featured cooking of Ife indigenous foods, such as, Iyan Jaloke (pounded breadfruit) and Worowo soup, Egbo, Ewa and Atadindin. Egusi soup, Ogiri and Kanni, Ila Alasepo, Ipeere and Oka dudu, Aadun and Elekute, Ekuru and Ata dindin, along other meals were also prepared.

The competition which was held at Afewonro park attracted about 200 women who savoured the joy of the festival with singing of Ife Lyrics appreciating God, the giver of all good things.

The chairman of the West Africa Food Seasoning Company Limited, represented by Mr Olaoluwa Abiri said, the company is in the business of renaissance of African Culture and values.

He added that food plays a prominent role in the lives of individuals and it serves as cultural identity.

“Most African foods which are healthy for living are going into extinction; it is our identity and we are losing our identity as a nation, unlike other countries of the world which preserve and advance their food and cultural values.

According to him, the Ajinomoto food seasoning has its root in the food culture of Japan and it is known as Umami which plays a prominent role in maintaining wellness of the body.

It is made of sugar cane, just as our local seasoning “Ogiri” is made from melon and “Iru” from the locust beans.

“All these Ife foods such as “Okadudu” that is made from plantain flour are the rich source of iron, Ogiri as its potential to heal stomach ailment even in young babies, which this generation had neglected.

He stressed that the company is taking part in the festival to make the populace, especially women known that Ajinomoto seasoning is fit for human consumption as it predate other seasonings and it was internationally accepted both in Europe, Asia, Africa and other continents of the world.

According to him, “Also, we come to give back to these women who are major users of our products and savour the joy of celebration of Olojo festival with them which is celebration of foods and drinks”.

One of the contestants at the cooking competition, Olori Lara Adesiyan appreciated the good gesture of the company, saying, this is the first time in the history of celebration of Olojo festival that a company will deem it fit to organize such competition and give over 200 women gifts ranging from sets of pots, coolers, food flasks and seasoning without buying their products.

Also, Mrs Cecilia Elukanlo from Opa Royal house was full of gratitude to the company for funding the competition and recognition giving to women in their numerous roles of caring for families and individuals.

In a chat with Baba Oba, Prince Ropo Ogunwusi he lauded the good gesture of the company, by organising the competition, saying, it would give prominent to cooking of indigenous meal which is healthy for wellness of individuals and could promote long living.

In her own contribution, the General Manager, Marketing, Mr Isa Hassan said that his company is poised to promote the culture of the people through food and healthy living.

“He therefore urged people to patronise the company’s products, as they are fit and healthy for human consumption and globally accepted.

Others at the occasion are the Regional Market Manager, Mr Alade Emmanuel, Mrs Ruth Oluchi and Francisca Ikediashi, traditional chiefs and other notable women.

At the end of the cooking competition, Opa royal House came first, while Agbedegbe Royal House came second