CULTURE AND TRADITIONAL FESTIVAL

Ijero Ekiti is the home of culture and tradition of which our dressing has traditional value. Male dress in Buba and Sokoto with fitted cap while the female dress in Iro and Buba with Gele (head tie), the chief dresses in traditional attire and put on beads on their neck and wrist both male and female chief. Queen Abokoaye is the head queen while chief Eyegun of Ijero Ekiti is the head of female in the kingdom.

The king (Owa Ajero) always dress in big attire called Agbada with crown and beads on his neck and on his wrists. The queens (Olori) always dress decently with beads on their wrists and neck. They do not wear headgear instead beads are used to design headgear and this is what they wear on their head. Abokoaye is the head of all the Oloris (queens) in the whole of Ijero kingdom and she also has her throne. There is a particular ritual drum which is always beaten during Ijero cultural festival for only Abokoaye and this drum can be beaten by only a chief whose name is Chief Alugbedu while High Chief Obanla is the second in command to Owa Ajero and Chief Egbedi is the chief security to Owa throughout the kingdom and other important Chief in the lineage.

Before the introduction of foreign religion, Ifa, Osun, Imole, Orisa nla and Ogun are the gods which our fore fathers worships in those days. Chief Olotin, Chief Esinkin, Chief Olorogun, Chief Asosanyi, Chief Egbedi, Chief Asaba, Chief Aasan and Chief Saloro are the custodian of cultural heritage in Ijero Ekiti. The chiefs mentioned are directly involved in the cultural festival. Igoke Olodooye  normally commences in the month of June while the Ijero cultural festival comes up annually in the month of August which normally last for seven (7) days. There are various cultural activities which normally takes place during these festive periods, such as cultural dances, installation of chiefs, selection of miss ijero and ijero beauty queen etc. click here to view some of the events.

Ako-Eegun is the main masquerade which is one the attraction that normally entices tourist and indigenes of Ijero Ekiti from all over the world to Ijero kingdom during the annual Ijero cultural festival. This masquerade possesses magical powers which enable him to grant request of people who believe in him such as request for a child, work, husband, breakthrough and so on.

Osiri-gongbo was born in oke agba in Ijero Ekiti and he was a great warrior of Ijero Ekiti who won various battles and due to his power every other town respected Ijero Ekiti and no battle could overcome them. All the weapons that Osiri-gbongbo used while he was alive is preciously kept in archive till today so you can come over to Ijero Ekiti to view them.

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