THIS year’s edition of the Udiroko Festival will hold from August 12 to August 20 in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, it was announced on Thursday in Lagos.
The festival, with the theme: “Enforcing and sustaining the solidity of our history, culture and tradition”, will hold at the Ewi’s Palace in Ado-Ekiti.
It marks the first day in Ado-Ekiti traditional calendar and is considered as the ‘new year’s day’ celebration of Ado Kingdom.
The Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi, who announced the programme at a news conference in Lagos, said yesterday that visitors should not be surprised if people greet them “Happy New Year” during the festival.
“Through this festival, we constantly celebrate our ancient past and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Ado people in ways that give currency to the past and precisely situated the present for a productive future.”
The festival, which is being sponsored by Nigerian Breweries PLc and La Casera, is characterised by greetings to the Ewi, music, dancing, wining and feasting.
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There will also be a football competition as well as a beauty pageant. Indigenes will rejoice with the Ewi. Walnuts and kolanuts will be served.
“No deity is worshipped in Udiroko and no idolatry and secret ceremony is performed. It is a ritual-free festival predicated on our historical, cultural and traditional values in Ado-Ekiti,” said Oba Adejugbe.
Oba Adejugbe explained that Udiroko, which means “Under the Iroko tree” commemorates the founding of Ado-Ekiti “through conquest in the early 1300 AD by the third Ewi Awamaro, the second successor of Ewi (Elewi) Biritokun, the first Ewi, who left Ile-Ife like his 15 other brother princes of Oduduwa to establish their own respective kingdoms in 1200AD”.
At the event, which was spiced by cultural performances were Olori Abosede Adejugbe Aladesanmi, the Ewi-in-Council, chairman of the occasion, Prince Julius Adewale Adelusi-Adeluyi and chairman, Planning Committee, High Chief Prof. Sunday Akindele.
The Director-General of the Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture and Tourism Ambassador, Wale Ojo-Lanre, represented the Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi at the conference.
Also there were Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki, Sola Fatoba, Mrs. Adeola Yesufu and President of Ado-Ekiti Progressive Union (APU) Chief Ayo Ayoola, including other Ado-Ekiti indigenes.
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