A testament to Oronsen’s legend emerged when a terracotta sculpture of the queen was unearthed from the Igbo Oluwa forest by Nigerian scholar Ekpo Eyo. This discovery served as a symbolic reminder of her permanent departure from the palace. However, the statue also conveyed a promise: in exchange for an annual offering of two hundred diverse items – including dried fish, alligator pepper, kola nuts, and bitter cola – Oronsen would perpetually safeguard the kingdom.

The 17-day Igogo festival kicks off with the Upeli procession, led by the Akowa of Iloro, the head of the Iloro chiefs. Spanning 12 days, this procession features various ceremonies like Utegi, Ugbabo, Uyanna, and Ugbate. It also coincides with the celebration of the new yam harvest.

Uniquely, the festival prohibits drumming and headwear for both men (caps) and women (head ties) near the Owo monarch.  A captivating spectacle unfolds as bare-chested Igharo men, from the Iloro Quarter, take center stage.  Dressed in white caps and brandishing buffalo horns, they dance through the town and sacred sites, striking the horns together in rhythmic harmony.  Any animal encountered during their dance becomes part of the celebratory feast.

History of the Igogo Festival

The Igogo festival began over 600 years ago during the reign of the late Olowo Rerengejen. The monarch married Oronsen, a beautiful and affluent queen who had, unknown to the king, supernatural powers. She enriched the monarch and she was loved by the monarch.

Queen Oronsen insisted on certain taboos. She insisted that nobody should grind Okra in her presence or pour water into the yard. In addition, anyone arriving from the farm must not lump a load of firewood. King Rerengejen cautioned his other wives not to carry out any of these activities.

One day, Queen Oronsen had a rift with the other senior wives of the King. They conspired against her to violate her taboo while Rerengejen was not in the palace. Her taboo was violated and she left the palace.

While she was running out of the palace, some palace guards and chiefs ran after her to bring her back, a futile effort. She later felt tired and waited at a place called “Ugbo Laja” where she was persuaded to return to the palace. Her refusal frustrated the guards into forcefully capturing her but she disappeared into “Igbo Oluwa”, now a sacred forest, leaving her head ties (oja) at “Ugbo Laja” which the guards returned to King Rerengejen.

“Ugbo Laja” is now a sacred grove. Queen Orosen’s terra cotta sculptured image from “Igbo Oluwa” by Ekpo Eyo stood at a distance to inform the Owo people that nothing would bring her back to the palace but that annually they should always sacrifice two hundred items of different articles, such as dried fish, kolanut, Aligator pepper, bitter cola and many more for ritual (Igogo) and in return she promised to protect the Kingdom.

Igodo Festival – event highlights

The Igogo festival lasts for 17 days and begins with Upeli proceedings by the Iloro chiefs. The chiefs are led by “Akowa” known as “Akowa of Iloro” who is the head of Iloro chiefs. This Upeli procession lasts for days and features several activities including Utegi, Ugbabo, Uyanna, and Ugbate. It is also a period for the celebration of new yams.

During this procession, the booming of drums by individuals or associations is forbidden and the use of caps by men and head ties by women at close range to the Owo monarch, the Olowo of Owo is forbidden.

The festival features the dance of bare-chested men known as ayoyos, the Iloro Quarter men called Ighares. They often wear white/gray painted calabash-made caps with two horns of Bufallo in their hands. They struck these horns together while dancing around the town and visiting some sacred places in the town.

During this rite, any animal that crosses their part automatically becomes their delicacy. The chief plaits their hair and dances around the town and visits their loved ones who will give them a gift in return. The monarchs often dress like women and dance around the town. Dancing in the market by the monarch is also one of the rites performed during the festival.

The time of the event was the period of the annual yam festival, but because of the happenings (Oronsen saga), the Igogo was incorporated alongside the yam festival which has now overshadowed the yam festival. The Olowo still celebrates the yam festival as part of the rites/events during the Igogo. A day after Olowo’s Igogo is set aside for the yam festival, on that day the Olowo feasts the Owo people with OBETE (asaro) yam porridge.

Major significance of the event

• Commemoration of Queen Orosen: The igodo festival is a symbolic commemoration of Queen Orosen, a wife of the first Olowo, Rerengenjen, who fled the palace due to jealousy and envy from other wives. 
• Symbol of Unity and Culture: The Igogo festival is a time for the Owo community, both home-based and in the Diaspora, to come together and celebrate their cultural heritage. 
• Exchange of Gifts: A unique aspect of the festival is the exchange of gifts, including cash, food items, and other goods, from various organizations, individuals, and groups to the Olowo. 
• Ban on Drums: During the festival period, drums are banned in Owo, and instead, metal gongs (agogo) are used, which is where the name “Igogo” is derived. 
• Encouraging Youth Involvement: The festival aims to encourage greater involvement of the community’s youth in their cultural norms. 

Final Thoughts

The Igogo festival of the Owo Kingdom, remains one of Nigeria’s most revered cultural heritage, with interesting historic significance. The 17-day event begins with the “Upeeli” procession led by the Iloro chiefs, including activities like Utegi, Ugbabo, Uyanna, Ugbate, and the blessing of the new yam.

What is the Ovia Osese festival

As one of the annual activities of the Ogori people in KOGI STATE, the Ovia Osese festival symbolizes the passage of rite for females transforming from adolescence to womanhood. The Festival is aimed at promoting purity among young girls – who are expected to be virgins in other to qualify for such initiation. It has since become a thing of pride for the girls, their parents, and the entire people of Ogori – which marks the event as the climax of the Ogori week.

According to the people of Ogoriland, the event symbolizes Chastity, fertility, feminity, and procreation according to the laws of God in conformity with the norms of the Ogori people. It is traditionally taboo for an Ogori maiden to get pregnant before the rite of passage. Such maidens are not allowed to participate in the festival and are frowned upon by the community.

The History of Ovia Osese festival

The Ovia Osese festival has been in existence since the beginning of time for the people of Ogori land. However, with modernization and the advent of Christianity, certain aspects of the festival have been changed or replaced but the underlying emphasis has always been on Chastity.

On the eve of the festival, the Ovia (the maiden) must sleep at the Oyodina’s house to receive what is called “home education” which comprises of virtues of womanhood and general body hygiene, sex education, and instructions on how to keep a home and childbirth.

The girls to be initiated fall between the ages of 14 to 26. The Onu and Eni, two clans in Ogoriland have celebrated their festivals together since 1940. The Ovia dance to pay respect to the village head. The girls wear decorative beads around their heads wrists and waists.

Their hair is usually plaited and decorated with beads. The songs the initiatees sing are exclusive to them, and even their relations are not allowed to sing along. The songs are said to have anonymous compositions and are perpetuated by oral tradition.

On the morning of the Ovia Osese festival itself, the Ivia (maidens) are dressed in traditional hand-woven cloth of various colors and wearing beads in their hair and on their necks and shoulders, their bodies oiled and decorated with white chalk.

They are paraded as they dance around the town to the admiration of all and to the pride of their parents. They then go around the town and, finally to the arena where they pay respect to the village head.

Before colonization, the people of Ogori worshipped various gods and believed in the powers of the gods to protect and provide for them. Through various sacrifices, the gods are worshipped and their blessings are sought. In the past, the various gods in Ogoriland were consulted on and before the Ovia Osese festival to get their approval and blessings.

Final Thoughts

The Ovia Osese Festival celebrated among the Ogori people of Kogi State, Nigeria – is one of the most historic and cherished cultural heritage in Nigeria. The festival which is celebrated annually in August has many other attractive activities which include: cultural performances, presentation of new yams, chieftaincy investitures, and awards, as well as other activities like free medical checkups, a novelty match, and a Jumat service. 

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This blog post aims to highlight the beauty of the Nigerian culture and traditions, and how they can all be traced back from the diverse ethnic groups in the country – while also emphasizing the shared elements that create national unity.

Nigeria’s Cultural Diversity

The Nigeria’s cultural identity is primarily dominated by three major ethnic groups:

1. Hausa-Fulani: Predominant in northern Nigeria and largely Muslim
2. Igbo: Predominant in southeastern Nigeria and largely Christian
3. Yoruba: Predominant in southwestern Nigeria with a balance between Muslim and Christian followers

Other significant groups include the Edo people (between Yorubaland and Igboland), the Ibibio/Annang/Efik/Tiv people of coastal southeastern Nigeria, and the Ijaw of the Niger Delta. Beyond these larger groups, there are hundreds of “minority” ethnic groups spread throughout the country, particularly in the middle belt and northern regions.

This ethnic diversity translates into approximately 350 linguistic groups, each with its different cultural practices, traditions, and belief systems, creating a unique and fascinating blend of culture.

Unity in Diversity: Shared Traditions

Despite many visible differences, Nigerians at large still share common ties. This includes: Inter-ethnic marriages, commerce, and festivals like weddings or harvest celebrations, etc. For instance, the “Agbada” (a flowing robe) and “Gele” (headwrap), once regional attire, are now worn nationwide.

Similarly, Nollywood films and Afrobeat music resonate across ethnic lines, proving that shared culture transcends boundaries, and creates what Nigerians now proudly call “Unity in Diversity.” So, let’s look at two popular ways in which Nigerians have been largely united, even amidst many cultural differences:

Traditional Attire & Fashion

Nigerian traditional clothing is as diverse as its ethnic groups, with each region having unique clothing styles that reflect their local identity and heritage:

• Igbo men from the southeast are known for their red caps
• Niger Delta men traditionally wear distinctive hats
• Tiv people of Benue State wear “Ange” cloth with zebra-like black and white stripes
• Idoma people wear similar clothing with red and black stripes
• Northern Nigerian men (predominantly Hausa/Fulani) wear “Baban riga” (or “Agbada”), “Buba,” and “Shokoto” with matching caps, or “Kaftans”
• Yoruba men wear their own regional variation of the “Agbada,” “Buba,” and “Shokoto” ensemble.

But regardless of these regional attires, many Nigerians now wear fashions from other regions that appeal to them. The “resource control” attire, initially associated with the Niger Delta region, has become popular throughout the country. Many women across Nigeria often wear “Buba,” “Iro,” “Gele,” and “Ipele” with regional style variations.

Traditional hand-woven fabrics like “Akwete,” “Aso-Oke,” “Batik,” and “Tie and Dye” are prized in the textile industry, while “Ankara” materials have become a fashion statement both domestically and internationally.

Languages & Communication

In Nigeria, language is another touch-point that unifies different cultural groups. While each ethnic group maintains its native tongue, English serves as Nigeria’s official language. 

Also, Nigerian Pidgin English has evolved from being associated primarily with those who couldn’t speak formal English to becoming a lingua franca used by Nigerians across all social classes and education levels.

This flexibility in language can be seen in popular phrases like “How you dey” (instead of “How are you”), which have become part of Nigeria’s cultural fabric.

Nigerian Arts & Crafts

Literary Arts & Famous Writers

Nigeria’s literary scene is world-renowned. Since independence in 1960, Nigeria’s literary arts have flourished with increased documentation of folklore and traditions – with globally acclaimed literary figures who serve as “cultural engineers” for society.

Here are some notable Nigerian authors:

• Wole Soyinka: The first Black writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature (1986)
• Chinua Achebe: Author of the classic novel “Things Fall Apart”
• Other prominent writers: Cyprian Ekwensi, John Pepper Clark, Gabriel Okara, Abubakar Imam, Flora Nwapa, Zulu Sofola, Amos Tutuola, Chukwemeka Ike, Elechi Amadi, and Chimamanda Adichie.

These literary icons have created a substantial reservoir of material that inspires Nigeria’s film industry and helps preserve cultural narratives.

Traditional Arts & Crafts

Nigerian craftspeople have practiced their trades for over two thousand years, producing high-quality works that evidence early civilization:

• Terra-cotta and iron smelting from Nok culture
• Bronze works from Ife and Benin
• Metalwork from Igbo-ukwu

These artistic traditions received patronage from royal courts and wealthy homes, encouraging the production of ceremonial items like state swords, scepters, royal drums, ivory ornaments, beaded handles, crowns, and various royal regalia.

Calabash carving represents another prominent craft with a long tradition in Nigeria. Communities in Old Oyo, Plateau, Bauchi, Sokoto, Adamawa, and Bornu states are known for producing intricately designed calabashes that are widely used and marketed across Nigeria and other African countries.

Contemporary Painting & Sculpture

Modern Nigerian art is built upon the creative foundations established by early civilizations like Nok, Ife, Benin, and Igbo-Ukwu. Since independence, Nigeria has produced five generations of modern artists, starting with pioneers like Aina Onabolu and continuing with contemporary talents such as Samuel Onyilo and Paul Oluwole.

Nigerian painters work with diverse techniques including watercolors, acrylics, wood burning, and mixed media. Nigerian sculptors create outstanding works using wood, iron, bronze, and stone. Their creations are displayed in major galleries and private collections worldwide, with commissioned pieces adorning roundabouts in major cities across the country.

Nigerian Cuisine & Gastronomy

Over the years, Food has become one of Nigeria’s cultural attractions. Popular foods like Jollof Rice, Egusi Soup, and Suya (spiced grilled meat) are now like National treasures. The Nigerian culinary practices are as diverse as the country’s ethnic groups, with each region cherishing its distinctive cuisine. 

Here are some of the major traditional dishes and delicacies that have become part of the national heritage include:

• Edikaikon
• Okoho
• Fufu, Tuwo, Akpu (various forms of starchy sides)
• Suya, Kilishi (spiced meat)
• Gbegeri, Owo
• Bush meat
• Fura de nunu, Kunu (traditional drinks)
• Amala, Eba, Pounded yam (starchy sides)

Popular snacks include Akara, Boli (roasted plantain), and various preparations of corn (boiled, popped, or roasted). Nigerian hospitality is known for feeding guests generously, an important cultural value.

Traditional Music & Cultural dance

Music as an art has been one of Nigeria’s oldest cultural identifiers, with different regions and communities having their unique music and dance styles for specific occasions:

• Idoma people (Benue state): Ajah, Oghrinye, Odumu, and Ichicha
• Tiv people: Swange and Kwagh-hir
• Southeast region: Ogene, Atilogwu, and Nkpokiti
• Southwest region: Sakara, Bata, Sato, Ponse, Yemoja, Gelede
• Northeast and northwest regions: Chalawa, Dabe, Goje
• Edo State (south-south region): Igbabo

These traditional forms have influenced the development of modern Nigerian music, which has gained international recognition.

The Nigerian Entertainment Industry

The Nigerian culture will not be complete without the fun noise coming from the entertainment industry. So, let’s take a look at some of the pillars of this industry and how they originated from the people’s way of life.

Nollywood: Nigeria’s Film Industry

Since the 1992 groundbreaking film “Living in Bondage” by Kenneth Nnebue, Nollywood has quickly become one of the world’s largest film industries, ranking behind only Hollywood and Bollywood.

Today, Nollywood and the Nigerian music industry constitute a major cultural and economic force, accounting for over 1.4% of Nigeria’s GDP in 2013, with continued growth.

Prominent Nollywood actors include Pete Edochie, Olu Jacobs, Nkem Owoh (Osuofia), Segun Arinze, Francis Duru, Chidi Ikedieze, Osita Iheme, Desmond Eliot, and Emeka Ike. Famous actresses include Patience Uzokwor, Rita Dominic, Genevieve Nnaji, Ini Edo, Omotala J. Ekeinde, Ngozi Ezeonu, Mercy Johnson, Stephanie Okereke Linus, Funke Akindele, Uche Jumbo, and Joke Silva.

Also, major production centers include Lagos, Onitsha, Enugu, Asaba, and Abuja.

Afrobeats: The Nigerian Music Industry

The Nigerian music industry continues to expand yearly, contributing billions of naira to the economy. Nigerian musicians blend hip-hop, rap, R&B, reggae, and gospel with traditional Nigerian beats and instruments – popularly called AfroBeats, which creates unique sounds that appeal to audiences worldwide.

Popular musicians include Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, Rema, Flavour, Phyno, Tiwa Savage, 2-Face Idibia, P-Square, Timaya, Olamide, D’Banj, Don Jazzy, and host of other well-known musicians. Gospel music also thrives with artists like Mercy Chinwo, Nathaniel Bassey, Frank Edward, Panam Percy Paul, Yinka Ayefele, Sinach, and many others.

Stand-Up Comedy & Skits

Stand-up comedians and skit makers have become an integral part of Nigeria’s entertainment industry, offering humor inspired by everyday Nigerian experiences. Popular comedians include AY, Basketmouth, Bovi, I go dye, Akpororo, Gordons, etc. Some popular skit makers include: Sabinus, Mr Macaroni, Brain Jotter, Broda Shaggi, etc.

Tourism & Cultural Heritage Sites

Nigeria is not just a multilingual and multi-ethnic nation. One of Nigeria’s unique cultural heritage is its diverse historical, ecological, and natural resources – which makes it one of the best tourist destinations in Africa. 

With a landmass of about 932,768 km² and a population of over 177 million, Nigeria is home to many natural attractions which include:

• Warm, sunny climate
• Fascinating beaches
• Evergreen vegetation in the south
• Alluring landforms and savannah grasslands in the north
• Hill formations
• Waterfalls and springs
• Mountainous areas with temperate-like climates
• Unique wildlife species

These natural wonders, combined with Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, provide numerous opportunities for tourism development.

Final Thoughts [Nigerian Culture & Traditions]

Nigerian cultural heritage is a living, evolving force – originating from hundreds of ethnic traditions, languages, and artistic expressions. From traditional dress and cuisine to modern film and music, Nigerian culture continues to evolve while maintaining connections to its historical roots.

The strength of Nigerian culture lies in its ability to embrace diversity while finding common ground – creating unity without uniformity. As Nigeria continues to share its cultural wealth with the world through literature, film, music, art, and fashion, it reinforces its position as not just a geographical giant of Africa, but a cultural powerhouse with global influence.

Whether experienced through the pages of a Chimamanda Adichie novel, the rhythm of Afrobeats music, the flavor of jollof rice, or the drama of a Nollywood film, Nigerian culture offers a rich, multifaceted experience that continues to captivate and inspire people around the world.

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But before we dive into the main festival, we need to know who the real Igede’s are – their origin, traditions, and customs.

Who are the Igede People?

The Igede people are a Sub-Saharan people found mainly in Oju, Obi, parts of Konshisha, Gwer Local Government Areas of Benue State and Yala LG, Cross River State of Nigeria. The speakers whose major preoccupation is farming and hunting. Igede is one of the majority tribes in the Benue State after Tiv and Idoma, and traditionally ruled by the Adirahu Ny’igede, HM Chief Rtd Oga Ero.

Their native attire coloured blue, black and white (stripes) is popularly known as Ogodogodo or sometimes called as Igede culture. Al’igede have a big regard for their cultural attire which they use for important occasions like traditional marriage, political meetings, church service as well as burial ceremonies and many more. The blue, white and black colours are also used by various cultural groups in benue state during cultural dances like the Benue Arts Theater and Adiya Dance Troupe.

The Igedes had their own traditions before the advent of colonialism and Christianity which has greatly influenced their way of life, with 90 percent practicing the Christian faith while ten percent practice their traditional religion.

A midst eroding cultures and traditions, the Igede of Benue state have maintained some aspects of their culture, one of which is the annual Igede Agba (New Yam Festival) which is celebrated during the harvest of yams to mark the beginning of the harvest period.

Igede Agba Festival – A Brief History

Igede Agba festival (New Yam Festival) is a yearly cultural occasion that is celebrated among the Igede people at home and in diaspora. It is a cyclic festival that comes up every first Ihigile market day in the month of September. According to the Igede calendar, September is her seventh moon “Oya”, a very special number at that.

The activities at Igede Agba Festival includes eating of pounded yam, cultural music, dancing and other forms of cultural displays. The occasion also witnesses the drinking of locally brewed drinks from millet and guinea corn called Apio, Ogbete, Oburukutu, Ogene and others with different alcoholic content.

The history of Igede Agba (New Yam Festival) dates back to the arrival of the Igede at their present place of abode. The Igede origin according to oral tradition can be traced to a great ancestral father called Agba, the progenitor of all Igede people. It is after this man that the Igede New Yam Festival was named.

According to the paramount ruler of Ora, HRH Chief Matthew Ehijagong Imuna, the Ohain1, Oje of Orah Land, Agba is the ancestral father of the Igede people, Agba and his descendants are of the royal throne of the popular Benin Kingdom, and that Agba was a renowned native doctor who traveled widely. Agba was also said to be fond of a musical instrument called “Ogede”.

From there the name Igede probably came from.The Igede people are believed to have been led by one Irumanyi as they traveled east ward until they came to the bank of Oyongo river with seven tributaries.

The river parted ways for the people to cross after they performed some rituals as demanded by the oracle. They crossed to the other side of the river called “Utukenge”, where the Igabu, Opirikwu, Anyogbe and Ikwuro people of the present Ogoja, Bekwarra, Obudu in Cross River State, who were part of this migration, parted from their Igede kith. The Igede continued their journey to Ipinu Igede, their present abode from where each clan moved to its present location.

The reawakening of this age long tradition is attributed to the formation of the group, Igede Youths Association (IYA). This group introduced the Igede Day to celebrate the goodness of God for a good harvest and the beginning of the planting season.

This is because the major preoccupation of the Igede people is the cultivation of food crops such as yams, cassava, rice and cereals. The size of an Igede man’s yam farm is a manifestation of his wealth and a widely acclaimed farmer in Igede is called an Ogreji.

Igede Agba festival is a special period for praising God, it celebrates hard work and dignity of labour. Moral values such as honesty, goodness, social justice as well as respect for the cultural of the people are celebrated.

Yam, the king of all farm produce, is used to mark the occasion of harvest and the new plating season. As such, harvesting of new yams before it is declared free for harvesting is a taboo. Every Igede man is expected to celebrate the festival with yams from his farm, not bought from the market.

During and immediately after Igede Agba Festival, families are expected to eat only pounded yam but not the usual fermented cassava, popularly called Akpu (fufu).

Igede Agba is celebrated with all male children gathering at the father’s round hut called Ugara, while all the man’s wives gather together with all female children in the most senior wife’s hut. The father usually washes his hands first, followed by the most senior son and that is how the eating proceeds. Nobody is allowed to jump queue. Those who disobey may be stopped from further eating. Meat is usually shared after meal or somewhere close to the end of eating of pounded yam.

There is nothing fetish in the celebration of Igede Agba. The Akpan deity in Igede ensures the suppression of the activities of witches and wizards. It is a deity that keeps people away from harvesting their yams prematurely; however, it is not considered as the god of yams.

I frown at people who make derogatory comments mistaken Igede Agba as an annual ritual to appease the gods of the land which can be termed idols. It’s not, please disregard such comments.

Pastors, Bishops, Reverends, men of God also participate in Igede Agba. Igede Agba is a New Yam Festival of Igede people. It’s their culture and a people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.

At Igede Agba periods, communal development projects are usually planned for execution. This is also the period various households address all pending cases of misunderstandings and such are amicably resolved. Plans for next planting season are concluded, especially the arrangement for the head of the household to organise for communal planting of his yam heaps.

By this, all the mature male children would go to the farm on a given day. This is traditionally how an Igede man is able to plant many hectares of yam.The Igede Agba to an Igede man is an all- important festival whose relevance cannot be over emphasized. For instance, the coming together of a family brings about unification. It also mobilizes the people towards purposeful development.

Disputes that would have lingered are addressed as a family and not in proxy as everybody is present. There is no room to harbour grievances.

Secondly, the idea of washing hands together in one basin (Bowl) by the family members sometimes, including extended families, is an unwritten covenant. This covenant is an agreement to remain united, and not to harbour any bad feelings against each other. After Igede Agba, families unite and farm for the elders in a group, one after the other. All the male children do this happily.

During the celebration, awards and honours are bestowed on the farmers who have cultivated the largest farms or have the biggest yams or the most number of yams in their barns. This is a very open, free and fair competition and it helps to stimulate hard work and development.

Final Thoughts: The Igede Agba Festival

Igede Agba Festival is considered a time of peace, reconciliation and sharing. No one eats alone on Igede Agba day. You must have a friend to visit or one to visit you. Hence as part of the preparations, it is mandatory you clear the foot path between you and your neighbour’s house. This is saying “you are welcome to visit or stop over to eat’. Exchange of gifts and food is done with enthusiasm and joy. The Igede man is truly at his best during the Igede Agba period.

As children come home for the celebration, parents sit them down and evaluate the progress made by the children in the cities over the year(s) and recall home those who are on the decline in terms of productivity and character.

Since the celebration comes up before schools re-open, it also serves as a forum to recognize siblings who have gained admission into tertiary institutions and those who have graduated from such school.

Source: Igede Culture Facebook Page

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