The Olojo festival is an important traditional festival celebrated in Ile-Ife, Osun state.
Olojo festival is also known as the festival of life it is celebrated annually to make peace with the gods of Ile-Ife-Land so that they will the Ooni Ife and his cabinets more life and good health.
This annual festival is held every October and is so memorable that dignitaries from different parts of the world come to Ile-Ife to celebrate this festival. Before the celebration day, the Ooni goes to a hidden place where he will embark on supernatural communication with the ancestors for the welfare of the people.
Women of Ife will clean and tidy up the palace and the environment as a way of getting the palace rid away all the evils. After the isolation it is a total belief that he comes out on the first day of the festival, he comes out fully possessed by the power of the gods, and whatever he says becomes accepted by the gods.
On his arrival, Ooni will be dressed in traditional best clothes and the ancient crown believed to have originated from the gods and proceed to the shrine of Ogun where he will be accompanied by his cabinets and the priests to perform a ritual sacrifice to Oduduwa.
After that, he will renew his oath of office and will be at Oketage hill to foretell the tomorrow of the people and also visit historical places of importance.
Olojo festival is believed to be used to celebrate the remembrance of the god of iron, described as ‘Ogun’ in Yoruba.
Many prayers and sacrifices are performed largely among Yoruba people to make peace with the ancestors who they believe created the universe.
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