Udiroko festival’s social activities cancelled

By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti

Social activities and gatherings for this year’s Udiroko festival, which marks the first day in Ado-Ekiti traditional calendar, has been cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, made this known yesterday at a news conference held at his palace in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The monarch said the usual pomp and ceremony associated with the festival slated for August 30 had been cancelled in obedience to government’s directives prohibiting public gathering.

The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Celebration of our history, culture and tradition in a period of global pandemic and its challenges.’

Oba Adejugbe said the festival would be observed in adherence to COVID-19 safety guidelines, noting that only senior chiefs and head of the three principal quarters would be allowed into the palace to offer prayers for the town, the state and the country at large.

He said safety measures such as the use of face masks, washing of hands, use of sanitisers and physical distancing rule would be observed during the festival, to stop the spread of the pandemic.

The traditional ruler said the planning committee would make use of technology to beam the event for people in the state and across the world, adding: “What we will be doing is not secret, it is purely prayer and we want people to watch us.”