Image: Oronna Shrine
Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of Ogun state, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and federal and state lawmakers are among the top dignitaries expected at this year’s Oronna Ilaro Festival with the theme: “Festival of Achievement”.
The weeklong festival from November 14 to 22, 2015 will culminate in a grand finale on Saturday November 21 at Asade Agunloye Pavilion, Empire Field. Ilaro- Yewa with partnership support from Dangote Cement, Ibeshe and communication giant, MTN Nigeria Limited.
The Chairman of the planning committee for the fourth year running, Chief Kayode Odunaro said the over two decades annual cultural festival which was endorsed as a tourism festival on national tourism calendar by Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in 2012 is celebrated in honour of the legendary warrior Oronna as a unifying developmental platform for the display of cultural practices of Ilaro and Yewa people of Ogun state.
Among the regular activities highlighting the festival are road show/street carnival, tributes to Oronna and other deities, Egungun and Gelede Masquerade display, Sisi Ilaro cultural beauty pageant, Poosu Night in celebration of food tourism and the all-white attire Onigba Aje ceremony.
Others are a three day medical checkup programme, Festival 50 Kilometer race, Jumat and Thanksgiving service as well as the grand finale where over 70 clubs and societies will pay homage to HRM Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, the Olu of Ilaro-Yewa and paramount Ruler of Yewaland.
As in last year, sons and daughters of Ilaro and Yewaland in Diaspora as well as other foreign tourists from United Kingdom, USA and Barbados with cultural origin traceable to Ilaro-Yewa are participating in the festival geared toward eco-tourism.
Debo Adebayo
