Ikoyi community to celebrate New Yam, Ogun festivals

…festivals symbolising prosperity, renewal —Oba Ogundana

All is now set for the people of Ikoyi-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State to celebrate their two most important annual cultural events: the Onikoyi New Yam Festival, scheduled for Saturday, August 9, and the Ogun Festival, taking place on Friday, August 15.

The Onikoyi New Yam Festival is a time-honoured event that marks the beginning of the harvest season. It is an occasion of gratitude, unity, and celebration among the people of the community.

 According to the release signed by the Onikoyi’s Principal Secretary, Prince Oluwole Fagbewesa, prayers will be offered by the Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ekiti, Oba Moses Akinwande Ogundana, to the deities and ancestors, while the first tubers of yam of the season will be presented in traditional rites, symbolising prosperity and renewal.

The event will feature traditional dances, cultural performances, community feasting, and other time-honoured rituals that express the community’s rich agricultural heritage.

Fagbewesa said that the Ogun Festival, dedicated to Ogun, the Yoruba deity of iron, technology, and warfare, is one of the spiritual and cultural backbones of Ikoyi-Ekiti. He added that the festival serves as a celebration of strength, craftsmanship, and resilience.

A major highlight of the Ogun Festival will be the traditional procession led by the traditional ruler, Oba Ogundana, accompanied by his chiefs, titled men and women, youth groups, and cultural performers. The parade will travel through the major streets of the community, displaying the regal and spiritual heritage of the community.

In a historic moment of inter-community solidarity, the Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ekiti will meet with the Asaba of Isaba-Ekiti, Ọba Olanrewaju Adeyanju, at the Shell Roundabout, where joint traditional prayers will be offered.

The ceremonial convergence marks the formal beginning of the Ogun cultural festival shared by the two closely allied communities — Ikoyi and Isaba — reaffirming their ancestral connection, peace, and mutual respect.

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The festivals will be graced by the sons and daughters of the community, both at home and in the diaspora. They are also expected to attract guests, dignitaries, tourists, and cultural enthusiasts from far and wide. Under the leadership of Oba Ogundana, the community continues to promote its unique identity and cultural pride while embracing peace, development, and unity.

The people of Ikoyi-Ekiti warmly welcome all visitors to join in the historic festivities, as the town showcases the enduring strength of Yoruba tradition and communal celebration.