The rich cultural heritage of the people of Igbara-Oke in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, was on display, as the people joined the monarch to celebrate this year’s Olokun Festival.
Rustic in settings but sublime in serenity, Igbara-Oke, an ancient town in Ifedore council Area of Ondo State, burst with frenetic display of lively activities that hallmarked this year’s Olokun festival.
Famous for it’s frenzy of various festivals such as the Ijesu Olowa, Orikadun and many others, Igbara-Oke boasts of age-long traditions which provide a veritable platform for it’s people to come together and celebrate with passion.
While others are notable for their purposes, Olokun festival is renowned for it’s unveiling of time to harvest food crops like yam, maize, cassava among others.
This year edition of the event was not different as the people joined their monarch, the Olowa of Igbara-Oke, Oba Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede in celebrating the festival with pomp and pageantry.
As a matter fact, the rich culture of the people was richly displayed at the celebration of Olokun festival.
As part of the traditional rites, Oba Agbede, in company of his chiefs and community folks, took a leg-walk of about four kilometers to the Olokun shrine where the annual ritual was carried out.
In the course of the road procession, the royal father recited words of prayers, with sprinkling of salt on the ground.
At the shrine, prayers were offered for suitable climate to ensure bountiful harvest.
It was also an opportunity for the indigenes to pray individually for all round prosperity.
Oba Agbede, who was delighted with the turn-out of his people for the annual event highlighted some of the important benefits of the festival and wished his subjects well.