By Michael Omojola
Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism (MACT) has endorsed the annual World Ifa/ Orisa Festival and Pilgrimage organized by the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR).
In an endorsement parley initiated by the Ministry, the Hon Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism Ekiti State, Prof Rasaki Ojo Bakare explained that the Ministry had carefully studied the festival content and decided to collaborate with the organizers as a result of the inherent significance of the festival to tourism in the State.
While presenting the history of the festival, the President of the International Council for Ifa Religion, Oluwo Dr. Solagbade Popoola explained that the quest for the truth brought about the festival which was first tagged ” the Oke-Igeti Festival”. The scholar explained that after several years of research and investigation, it was discovered that Ado-Ekiti is the exact place where Oke-Igeti, the home of Ifa is situated. This, he said, prompted a formidable faction of ifa adherents and scholars to begin tracing the Oke-Igeti until they got to the current place where the Ekiti State Government House now stands. He said their finding revealed that Ifa lived in Oke-Igeti for years and indeed had his children while sojourning in different parts of Ekiti land.
The World Ifa Orisa Festival and Pilgrimage 2022 edition was a few days away when the partnership was sealed. This, though, inhibited the infusion of more creative plans into the events of the festival, nevertheless, the Ministry inaugurated a committee led by the Director of Tourism. The Committee is been part of the festival which have attracted a massive crowd of tourists and ifa pilgrims to the State.
On the 22nd of May when the programme started, the first point of call was Ijelu-Ekiti where all participants went to venerate Esu Laaroye. Esu Laaroye is one of the highly revered gods of the Yoruba people. In Yoruba belief system, Esu is an activator of good things who, though not physically seen, does for those who believe in him whatsoever they fervently request from him. Esu Laaroye was a native of Ijelu-Ekiti. Just like Ogun, he is believed to have entered the earth at a place around the Elejelu palace where his grove and shrine now exist.
One of the highlights of the Ijelu visit was the long queue of pilgrims who came with kola and money to present their individual prayer requests to Esu with pledges of wholesome gratification in the next edition once their requests have been granted.
The visit continued. The visitors were in Ilogbo-Ekiti to see the awe-inspiring palm tree with many heads. The number of visitors, which kept increasing daily, was already over 1,000 people. Representatives and medical personnel from 15 countries were there to attend to people with various degrees of health challenges using both orthodox and acupuncture interventions. Just like they did in Ijelu, people lined up to enter the sacred site of the palm tree. The Owa of Ilogbo and his retinue of council chiefs and the custodians of the grove were present to conduct people round the palm tree as they presented their prayer requests piously to the palm tree. Among those notable indigenes of the town who received the visitors was the former deputy speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adetunji Orisalade.
The visit also continued the following day. Erijiyan and Ire-Ekiti were visited. They were received at Erijiyan by the Olohan and his council chiefs. The Director of Tourism, Prince Adebanji Adelusi, who represented the Ministry, congratulated the Erijiyan people for the massive presence of tourists attracted by their heritage to the town. He urged them to be prepared to partner with government to sustain heritage tourism in the town. Oba Adegoroye Omoseebi thanked the organizers of the event and promised his continued support towards preserving the sanctity and spirituality of the river, Omi-Erin.
Ire-Ekiti visit took place around the sun set. It was said to be for some reason unknown to the ekitourism crew. Nevertheless, the visit offered one of the most memorable events of the festival. After the close door meeting with the Onire Chiefs led by Chief Asaba who represented the Onire of Ire-Ekiti who was not present or probably was out of town, the crowd moved to a shrine not too far from the town. There prayers were said and people as usual also lined up to present their solemn prayer requests to Ogun. There were frightening sounds of gun shots booming like cannons in a characteristic African festival manner.
The visit to Ido-Ekiti held on the 25th of May. Ido-Ekiti is said to hold a very symbolic space in the history of Orunmila. This, according to the President of the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR), Oluwo (Dr) Solagbade Popoola, is a story that explains the origin of one of the most spiritual masquerades in Yoruba land and one that connects Ido-Ekiti with Ijan-Ekiti both in Ekiti State. The Olojudo of Ido, Oba Ayorinde Ilori Faboro received the visitors warmly. He said he has had a new perspective of ifa which reinvigorates his commitment to support the activities of the local chapter of ICIR. He requested that one whole day be dedicated to the celebration of Poroye in Ido-Ekiti to enable him and his chiefs actualize their plans to make the hosting of the ICIR guests and visitors as elaborate as possible. Oba Ilori Faboro said that was the surest way to sustain the festival and preserve the heritage. He promised to re-construct the Poroye shrine but requested for a suitable design from the President. Dr. Popoola thereafter commissioned the Director of National Troupe Mr Biodun Abe and the Ekiti State Director of Tourism, Prince Adebanji Adelusi to come up with a design that would take into account the need to retain the originality for the purpose of tourism. .
The visit to ijan followed that of Ido-Ekiti as scheduled. Ijaw is the home of Olomo, the son of Poroye. The crowd of people who were in a convoy of about 40 vehicles including 4 long and luxurious coaster buses were received by the Ijaw-Ekiti Council of Chiefs. After a series of formal activities, the visitors were taken to an open shrine along the main road to ilu-omoba. There sacrifices were made for the peace and stability of the nation, Ekiti State, the ijan-Ekiti community and for the safety of the individuals who witnessed the 2022 edition of the World Ifa-Orisa Festival and Pilgrimage. The visitors later matched on a single file into the Olomo grove which was already being renovated and fenced.
The visit to Isaba-Ekiti took place on the 26th. Isaba is said to be the home of Osanyin. After a brief interaction with Asaba of Isaba, Oba Olanrewaju Oluwaseyin Adeyanju, the people were led to the sacred lake where Osanyin was said to be using in healing various categories of illnesses during his lifetime and which is still being used by his priest to heal diseases. After series of prayers, the massive crowd had dispensed to them, in bottles and cans, the water to take home.
The last point of call for the 26th May, 2022 was Oke-Igeti. It was the place where ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ would be washed before taking them to Oke-Olota in Ado-Ekiti. All around the street leading to the residual space left for the International Council for Ifa Religion to use as the Orunmila Grove at Oke-Igeti, there was an outpouring of visitors in their hundreds . The convocation was massive. Drumbeats, songs and gongs liven up the entire street of Isato-oke in an unprecedented manner. In spite of the little space, people were frenetic in their joyous celebration and dance to the heavy percussions from the various bands that came with their various States contingents. The festival continues with the visit to Osun River Source in Igede-Ekiti and the night party at the Olota Mountain on the 27th and 28th of May respectively.
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One response to “Ekiti Tourism Development: MACT Endorses Ifa Festival, Collaborates towards Tourism Promotion.”
I congratulate Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre and Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture for this ethnographic and Cultural Renaissance. Posterity will not forget your land mark achievement in placing Ekiti Cultural sites on National and International Cultural Heritage map. Well done indeed.
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