Festivals

Eze Assor urges Unity, Culture Revival at Iri-ji Ohaji

Published

11 months ago

October 28, 2025

Eze Emmanuel Assor urges the people of Ohaji to use the Iri-ji Ohaji Festival to promote unity, culture, and tourism

The Chairman of Ohaji/Egbema Council of Traditional Institution and Community Policing, and traditional ruler of Assa Ancient Kingdom, HRM Eze Emmanuel Uchechukwu N. Assor (KSC, NPOM), has called on the people of Ohaji clan to use the annual Iri-ji Ohaji Festival as a platform to strengthen unity, foster new relationships, and promote cultural heritage and tourism.

Also read: Ohanaeze Ndigbo Cautions Against Cultural Erosion

Eze Assor made the call during the 2025 Iri-ji Ohaji Cultural Festival held on Saturday at Ohaji District Headquarters, Umuokanne, in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

The royal father praised the people of Ohaji for their commitment to cultural preservation and dedication to community progress, describing the festival as a symbol of gratitude, unity, and heritage.

“Iri-ji is not just a celebration of harvest; it is a reminder of who we are as Ohaji people — richly blessed with culture, wisdom, and resilience,” he said.

He commended Ohaji farmers for their hard work and prayed for a bountiful harvest, while also applauding the festival’s organising committee for their relentless efforts in upholding the dignity of the people.

Performing the traditional “Iwa ji” ritual, Eze Assor thanked God for life and prosperity, assuring that Ohaji land would bless all who partake in the feast.

“Yam is a life saver, an economic sustainer, and a spiritual root crop. In the olden days, every wealthy man had a barn of yams,” he remarked.

The monarch, who also serves as National Secretary of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) and Chairman, Committee on Tradition and Culture, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, clarified that the festival is no longer fetish, noting that it often begins with a church service.

“I am a Knight of the Anglican Church. If it were fetish, I would not eat it,” he said, emphasising that the modern Iri-ji celebration focuses on thanksgiving and cultural pride.

Eze Assor urged the people of Ohaji and the wider Igbo community to revive and preserve their cultural traditions, lamenting that religion has caused many to abandon their roots.

He further encouraged youths to take pride in their heritage, support traditional rulers, and embrace farming as a viable alternative to oil dependency and white-collar employment.

The monarch appealed to government authorities to create an enabling environment for mechanised agriculture, stressing that farming can ensure food security and economic independence for the people.

Also read: Egbe Bobasete Storms 2025 Ojude Oba Festival With Glamour, Steeze

“People have used religion to wash away culture. We must go back to our roots and uphold what our forefathers taught us,” he concluded.

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Culture

OLOJO….Ile Ife’s September Gift To Culture

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Mariam Balogun

By Halima Adaba,

It was a featubal if the people. It was for the anciebt town of Ile Ife, which the Yoruba race refards as the Source.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

And ut was a festivsl for the King, Arole Oduduwa, Oonirisa, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

And so between September 24 and 28th 2026, the annual featuval dazzjed in all its white glory.

Tge Monarch paid the traditional ancestral homage and offered propitiation as part of the sacred rites of the Olojo Festival.
It was a powerful expression of Yoruba heritage, spirituality, and enduring tradition.

Call it a collection of beautiful moments, faces, colours and cultural expressions.

Every frame tells a story.

Every face carries the energy.

Every moment keeps the heritage alive.

Undoubtedly one of the most sacred cultural celebrations in Ilé-Ifẹ̀. It marked a day associated with creation, thanksgiving, ancestral heritage, and the sacred appearance of the Ooni of Ife wearing the revered Aàrẹ crown.

There were also the devotees of the famed god of thunder – Sàngó who were hardly conspicuous at the festival.

Many other traditional groups came out with candor, showing a powerful expression of Yoruba cultural identity, spiritual devotion, and respect for the ancient traditions of Ilé-Ifẹ̀.

Devotees of Sàngó bekieved the ‘appearance’ of the god of thunder on Seotember 26th could be understood as a symbolic meeting of ancestral heritage, spiritual devotion, and the celebration of creation.

It was a moment when the sounds of drums, chants, and traditional praise poetry brought the history of the Yoruba people to life.

Although Olojo is closely associated with Ogun, the god of iron, and the sacred traditions of Ile-Ife, the presence of Sàngó devotees reflected the rich diversity of Yoruba spiritual heritage.

Also read: Olojo Festival 2026: Ooni Urges Leaders to Prioritise Citizens

As a participant enthused at the festival, “To witness Sàngó Olúkòso emerge on Olojo Festival day is to witness a living expression of history, identity, and ancestral pride.”