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CULTURE

Olojo Festival: Ọọni Begins Seven-Day Seclusion, Prays for Unity, Peace

September 23, 2025 • 2 min read

September 23, 2025

By Tobi Akinnubi

The Ọọni of Ifè, Ọba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Tuesday began his annual seven-day seclusion ahead of the 2025 edition of the Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

During the period, the monarch will remain incommunicado, avoiding public appearances and personal communication, while offering prayers for the unity, peace, and progress of the Yoruba race, Nigeria, and the world.

According to tradition, the seclusion allows the Ooni, regarded as the spiritual leader of the Yoruba people, to commune with his ancestors and seek divine guidance. Palace chiefs disclosed that Oba Ogunwusi will also use the sacred period to intercede for prosperity and stability in the country.

The Olojo Festival, which literally means “Day of Creation,” is one of the most significant cultural events in Yoruba land. It commemorates the creation of the universe and the descent of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race.

The festival is marked by elaborate rituals, traditional rites, prayers, cultural displays, and public processions that attract thousands of worshippers, tourists, and dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria. A highlight of the celebrations is when the Ooni appears in public wearing the sacred Aare Crown, believed to be the oldest crown in Yoruba history and worn only once a year.

This year’s Olojo Festival is expected to draw wide participation, with stakeholders emphasizing its role in promoting Yoruba cultural heritage, unity, and global recognition.