The Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula and Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has formally announced the hosting of the 2026 edition of the revered Aje Festival in Ile-Ife, alongside the unveiling of a detailed programme of events for the cultural celebration.
The announcement was contained in an official statement issued on Monday and signed by the Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare. According to the statement, the declaration followed the successful conclusion of preparations by the Aje Festival Planning Committee, chaired by the Iyalale Oodua and Global Coordinator of Aje Festival International, Princess Dr Toyin Kolade, in collaboration with the House of Oduduwa.
Scheduled to hold from January 6 to February 16, 2026, the Aje Festival 2026 will be celebrated under the theme “Trading for Prosperity: Aje, The Cultural Commerce.” The festival will feature a series of pre-festival activities leading to a grand finale at the historic Ooni’s Palace, Enuwa, Ile-Ife.
Pre-Festival Activities
Pre-festival engagements will run from January 6 to February 7, 2026, beginning with the CPPP Sponsors Affirmation. This will be followed by official Aje Festival press engagements slated for Thursday, January 28, 2026, while the Aje Corporate Luncheon and Sponsors Unveiling is scheduled for Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Grand Finale Programme
The core festival activities will take place between Friday, February 13 and Monday, February 16, 2026, featuring a blend of commerce-driven initiatives, cultural exhibitions, and humanitarian interventions.
Key highlights include the Aje Oja Ife Exposition on Friday, February 13; Women Empowerment Programmes and the Aje Summit on Commerce and Trade on Saturday, February 14; and Widows and Orphans Care Initiatives, alongside a Cultural Night, on Sunday, February 15.
The festival will reach its peak on Monday, February 16, 2026, with the Aje Heritage Procession and Grand Royal Invitational Reception. The climax will feature a royal procession led by the Ooni of Ife and his council of chiefs to the sacred Aje shrine at Ejigbomẹkun Market, where traditional rites and special prayers will be offered for prosperity, economic stability, and national development.
Spiritual and Cultural Significance
The Aje Festival is one of the most ancient and spiritually significant cultural observances in Yorubaland, dedicated to AJE, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and profitable trade. Aje is revered as one of the 401 primordial spiritual entities of Oòtu Ife, the cradle of mankind, and the festival has for centuries symbolised abundance, economic fortune, and spiritual renewal among the Yoruba people.
Platform for Cultural Revival and Economic Diplomacy
Describing the 2026 celebration as more than a festival, the House of Oduduwa noted that the Aje Festival serves as a strategic platform for cultural revival, economic empowerment, heritage diplomacy, and investment engagement. The event is expected to attract traditional rulers, Aje devotees, cultural organisations, entrepreneurs, investors, and visitors from across Nigeria and the global diaspora.
The palace further emphasised that Aje Festival 2026 will reinforce Ile-Ife’s position as the spiritual headquarters of the Yoruba race, while strengthening its growing reputation as a global hub for cultural tourism, commerce, and indigenous economic dialogue.
As preparations gather momentum, the Ooni of Ife reaffirmed his commitment to using culture as a bridge between spirituality, commerce, and sustainable development for the Yoruba people and the nation at large.