The Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula and Natural Head of the Oduduwa race worldwide, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, on Friday evening led sacred ancestral rites during the Oshoosi Day observances of the ongoing 2026 World Obatala Festival in Ile-Ife, offering prayers for peace, moral rebirth and national renewal in Nigeria.
The monarch, who also serves as the Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC) and Permanent Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), presided over high-level spiritual rites at the Obatala Holy Temple, where age-long Yoruba rituals of prayers, libations and invocations were conducted.
Clad in sacred white regalia symbolising purity and spiritual authority, the Ooni offered prayers to Olodumare, the Supreme Being, and invoked revered Yoruba ancestors, seeking divine alignment, protection and guidance for Nigeria and its people.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, the Ooni called on ancestral forces to cleanse the land of negative energies, conflict and moral decay, while praying for renewed harmony among communities, righteous leadership and collective prosperity.
“Oshoosi represents precision, direction and victory in righteous pursuits. In invoking Oshoosi today, we are calling for clarity of purpose for Nigeria, successful pursuit of justice, and triumph over forces that threaten peace and unity,” the Ooni was quoted as saying.
During the rites, symbolic items associated with Oshoosi—representing focus, discipline and provision—were presented at the altar, while traditional chants and sacred incantations were rendered by chief priests to invoke ancestral presence and spiritual intervention.
The Ooni further prayed that the ancestral spirit of Oshoosi would guide Nigerians toward productive paths, protect hunters, farmers, artisans and all whose livelihoods depend on the land, and grant the nation abundance, security and stability.
Emphasising cultural continuity, the Ooni noted that such sacred observances are not mere ceremonies but spiritual channels through which societal balance is restored.
“Our ancestors left us values of justice, truth, hard work and communal living. When we reconnect with them spiritually, we realign ourselves with these virtues and secure a better future for coming generations,” he stated.
The Ooni also called on Nigerians, regardless of religion or ethnicity, to embrace the moral lessons embedded in Yoruba spirituality, stressing that Obatala symbolises purity, fairness and uprightness—values urgently needed in national life.
He urged leaders at all levels to draw inspiration from Obatala’s attributes of justice and wisdom, noting that no society can thrive without moral clarity and respect for human dignity.
The statement added that special prayers were offered for Nigeria’s leadership, security architecture and youth population, asking that ancestral wisdom guide decision-makers, strengthen institutions and inspire young people toward innovation, discipline and service.
“Oshoosi never misses the right path. May Nigeria find the right path again. May our leaders lead with conscience, and may our youths channel their energy toward building, not destroying,” the Ooni prayed.
The Oshoosi Day rites form part of the 2026 World Obatala Festival, one of the most profound cultural and spiritual gatherings on the Yoruba festival calendar, currently holding in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, regarded as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation.
The festival, which began on Wednesday, 14 January and will conclude on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, is taking place at the Obatala Temple in Ile-Ife and has drawn devotees, traditional custodians, scholars and cultural enthusiasts from across Nigeria and the global Yoruba diaspora.
Obatala, also known as Orisanla, occupies a central place in Yoruba cosmology as the Orisha of creation, purity, wisdom, justice and moral uprightness. Devotees are traditionally adorned in white garments, symbolising purity of thought, moral clarity and spiritual cleanliness.
Over the years, the World Obatala Festival has evolved from a sacred local observance into a globally recognised cultural and spiritual event, serving as a platform for preserving Yoruba spiritual heritage while promoting dialogue on ethics, moral leadership and cultural identity.
Beyond its religious significance, the festival stands as a powerful symbol of cultural continuity, identity reconnection and moral consciousness, reaffirming enduring Yoruba values of humility, justice, wisdom and peace.