Pasuma, Malaika and Ibrahim Chatta headline the Owode Ifa Festival, bringing Yoruba heritage, royal dignitaries and entertainment to Ogun State.
Fuji stars Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma and Sulaimon Alao Malaika, Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta, singer Segun Johnson and T.I Blaze joined traditional ruler Oba Kolawole Arewa Sowemimo, the Olu of Owode Egbaland, and other dignitaries for the 2026 Odun Ifa Festival hosted by High Chief Ayoola Adeyi Olaifa, the Oluna of Owode Egbaland, in Owode Egba, Ogun State, on Friday, 30 October, and Saturday, 31 October.
The two-day celebration brought together Yoruba cultural heritage, traditional leadership and contemporary entertainment, with a programme featuring prominent music performers, a special celebrity appearance and representatives of the community’s traditional institution.
Organised by the families of High Chief Ayoola Adeyi Olaifa, the festival was presented as a celebration of heritage, music and community, placing Owode Egba’s cultural identity at the centre of the weekend’s activities.
The opening day’s programme was scheduled for Olunla Villa, Balogun Quarters, Owode Egba, where Fuji musician Sulaimon Alao Malaika was billed to lead the entertainment.
Other artistes listed for the first day included Alhaji Saheed Bamidele, popularly known as Ife Arawe, guest performer Olariiki and Awise Mass Kenny, also known as Eyinju Oganla.
The celebration continued on Saturday at All Saint School 1, Owode Egba, with veteran Fuji performer Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, popularly known as Pasuma Wonder, headlining the entertainment programme.
Pasuma was joined by singer Segun Johnson and T.I Blaze, while Nollywood actor Ibrahim Chatta was listed for a special appearance.
Yemi Olade and Kukoyi Adedoyin were scheduled to serve as masters of ceremonies, guiding proceedings throughout the second day’s activities.
Beyond the entertainment line-up, the festival carried a strong traditional and royal presence.
Oba Kolawole Arewa Sowemimo, Gbadewolu I and Olu of Owode Egbaland, was named Royal Father of the Day, while Chief Otunba Michael Oluwole Soretire chaired the occasion.
The combination of traditional leadership, Fuji music and Nollywood representation reflected the organisers’ intention to create a gathering where cultural expression and contemporary entertainment could coexist.
The organisers described the festival as “a two-day cultural celebration of heritage, music and community”, encouraging residents, visitors and cultural enthusiasts to participate in the celebration of Owode Egbaland.
The event also attracted attention beyond its advertised entertainment programme following the appearance of Islamic singer Aminat Obirere.
Videos of Obirere performing at the festival circulated online after the event, prompting discussions among social media users about religious identity, cultural participation and the place of traditional Yoruba heritage in contemporary Nigerian society.
Some commentators questioned her participation in an event associated with Ifa traditions, while others defended the distinction between cultural identity and religious affiliation.
One social media user, identified as gen_var, wrote: “When we condemn music, the hypocrite Muslims are naming us extremists. Later you go wise.”
The reactions added an unexpected dimension to the festival’s public conversation, although they did not diminish the broader cultural significance of the gathering.
Ifa occupies an important place in Yoruba history, philosophy and spiritual traditions. The Ifa divination system was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.
According to UNESCO, the system draws on an extensive collection of oral texts and mathematical formulas used by Ifa priests to interpret signs and guide important individual and collective decisions.
Its literary corpus also preserves aspects of Yoruba history, language, beliefs and worldview.
The recognition highlights the importance of preserving indigenous knowledge and passing cultural traditions between generations, particularly as traditional practices continue to navigate changing social and religious environments.
For Owode Egba, the festival provided an opportunity to bring residents and visitors together around a shared expression of community identity, with music, traditional authority and cultural participation forming the centre of the celebration.
With Pasuma, Malaika, Ibrahim Chatta and other entertainers among the names associated with the programme, the 2026 edition demonstrated how traditional celebrations can create space for both heritage preservation and modern entertainment.
The gathering also offered a reminder that cultural festivals are not only occasions for performances and public celebrations, but also platforms through which communities maintain connections with their history, institutions and collective identity.
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