By Sodiq Lawal
Activities to kick start this year edition of the Olojo festival as Infogem Limited, the official Consultant and marketer for Olojo Festival, has thrown open, the programme outline for this year’s event as its called on sons and daughters from all part of Yoruba land to consider the historical event as an avenue to promote and showcase their cultural strength to the world.
This year’s festival ,with the theme: “Cultural Festivals: Nigeria’s Untapped Domestic Tourism Goldmine” has been branded to rescusitate the economy of Ile-Ife and Osun state at large, as seen in the richness and varieties of the event’s line up.
The Olojo festival is celebrated to commemorate the ancestry of Oduduwa to Ile- Ife.
It is the celebration of the first dawn, the first afternoon and first night in creation; celebrated only in the land of expansion, Ile Ife. The programme has commenced since August 22 with press releasing detailing activities for this year celebration.
The procession will be led by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who with Aare Crown which on the final day of the celebrations.
Activities lined up for this year celebration according to the programme of events includes Opening Ceremony, Cultural Trade and Art Exhibition holding on Tuesday, September 19 and Cultural summit on the theme of the festival on Wednesday, September 20, 2017.
Quiz Competition round off will hold Friday, September 22, and to be preceded by Gbajure Cultural Carnival on Saturday, and Ooni’s Football, Semi Final, Quiz Competition Final, and Football Final would be held on Sunday 24, Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 respectively.
Ayo Olopon traditional game will hold on Wednesday September, 27. The Yoruba culture entertainment night, festival musical concert, omidan olojo cultural pageant and festival fashion show all of which will take place on Thursday 27th September,2017
Other activities are Ojo Ilagun, Iwode Ile-Ife (Community Cleansing), Oonirisa terrestrial message to the world on Friday September, 29.
Similarly, there will be Okemogun day, the Are’s cultural procession on Saturday September, 30, while the grand finale of this year’s Olojo festival takes place on Sunday 1st October.
The closing ceremony, which will feature Oonirisa ancestral traditional propitiation cultural trade/art exhibition is billed to hold on Monday October, 2nd 2017.