Culture

Ogori Community aims to become major tourist hub with investment in Ovia-Osese Festival

Published

1 year ago

April 22, 2025

The Ogori Descendant Union (ODU) President, Dr. Gabriel Aiso, envisions Ogori as a premier tourist destination, urging Kogi State Government to invest in developing tourist sites around the UNESCO-recognized Ovia-Osese festival

The President of the Ogori Descendant Union (ODU), Dr. Gabriel Aiso, has projected that Ogori, an ancient community in Kogi State, has the potential to become a significant tourist destination.

Also read: Badagry Heritage Festival 2024 to showcase Yoruba classical ballet and cultural displays

He called on the Kogi State Government to invest in the development of numerous tourist sites in the Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area, centered around the annual Ovia-Osese festival.

Speaking to journalists in Lokoja as part of activities marking the commencement of the 2025 Ovia-Osese festival, Dr. Aiso appealed to the state government to partner with the union in developing these sites.

He believes that such investment would transform the festival into a major tourist attraction, placing Kogi State and Nigeria prominently on the global festival map.

Dr. Aiso described the Ovia-Osese festival as a unique and flagship identity of the Ogori people. He emphasized that the development of the area’s tourist sites holds significant cultural and economic benefits for the people of Ogori, Kogi Central, and Nigeria as a whole.

My vision is to build tourists sites around Ovia-Osese which is the only festival in the state that is registered nationally and recognized by UNESCO. We have many historical sites, which when developed will attract huge revenue to the state through tourism,” stated Dr. Gabriel Aiso, President of Ogori Descendant Union.

Highlighting the untapped potential, Dr. Aiso noted, “The spot where the Ogorians won the war between them and Jambadi a Nupe warrior is still there, we have spring water that does not dry even during dry season, we have palm trees with three heads among others that we want our governor Alhaji Usman Ododo to help us develop so that it can benefit the Ogori people, Kogi central and the entire state.”

Discussing the festival itself, the ODU National President explained that Ovia-Osese is an age-old tradition, as ancient as Ogori itself. The festival is an annual event marking the initiation of young girls, known as Ivia, into womanhood.

He further elaborated that the festival symbolizes chastity, virginity, and purity, aligning with the laws and social norms of the Ogori people, emphasizing its purely cultural nature devoid of any fetish practices.

“Ovia-Osese is an ancient festival. It is like a school where young girls are taught to be responsible to their husbands and the society. There is no fetish activities attached to the festival. It is purely cultural,” Dr. Aiso concluded.

Up Next

Enugu State nominates four historic sites for UNESCO world heritage status

Don't Miss

Nigeria, Tunisia strengthen cultural, economic ties ahead of FITA 2025 summit

Click to comment

Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”