The ancient city of Ile-Ife, revered as the cradle of civilization, is preparing to host the 2025 edition of the Olojo Festival, one of Nigeria’s most significant traditional and spiritual events.
The festival, under the leadership of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, will once again attract participants from across Nigeria and the international community.
This year’s celebration, themed “Cultural Rebirth” is scheduled to hold from Thursday, September 25 to Monday, September 29, 2025, and will feature a series of cultural showcases, spiritual observances, and community-driven engagements.
Festival Highlights
According to the official programme, activities for the 2025 Olojo Festival will include:
Thursday, 25th September – Ayo Olopon Traditional Game, Cultural Festival Talent Hunt (Audition), and the Olojo Festival Colloquium.
Friday, 26th September – Ojo Ilagun, Iwode Ife (Community Cleansing), and the Oonirisa Terrestrial Message to the World.
Saturday, 27th September – Festival Grand Final Official Ceremony, marked by Ojo Okemogun (the Aare Cultural Procession).
Sunday, 28th September – Ojo Ajoye (Grand Royal Reception – Invitational), Adire Oodua Cultural Exchange Exhibition, and the Oonirisa’s Ife Award for Community Service 2025.
Monday, 29th September – Ojo Ibile (Oonirisa Ancestral Traditional Propitiation) and the grand finale of the Cultural Talent Hunt.
Spiritual and Cultural Significance
The Olojo Festival, widely regarded as the festival of creation, holds profound spiritual meaning. It commemorates the day believed to mark the first dawn of existence, when divine authority was entrusted to Ogun, deity of iron, to clear the path for humanity.
A central highlight of the festival is the Ooni’s appearance in the sacred Aare crown, the oldest known crown in existence and worn only once a year. After days of spiritual seclusion and prayers, the Ooni leads a grand procession to the Oke Mogun shrine, performing rituals that symbolize peace, prosperity, and harmony for all people, irrespective of tribe, culture, or faith.
A Festival Beyond Borders
Over the years, the Olojo Festival has become more than a local cultural heritage event. It now serves as a platform for intercultural dialogue and global tourism, welcoming visitors, researchers, dignitaries, and cultural enthusiasts from different parts of the world.
The festival continues to demonstrate the universality of peace, communal harmony, and human progress—values that resonate far beyond Yoruba land.
Media Coverage
IfeCityBlog TV will provide exclusive coverage, including live updates, cultural features, and behind-the-scenes insights into the festival’s unique blend of spirituality, tradition, and modern expression.
Follow IfeCityBlog for full coverage of Olojo Festival 2025 – a celebration of heritage, humanity, and unity from Ile-Ife to the world.