Prof John Olujobi , a Professor of Forestry at the Ekiti State University, is the Chairman of Ijan Day Planning Committee 2026. In this interview with our correspondent, he spoke about the significance of the annual celebration to peace, unity, development and cultural growth of Ijan Ekiti. Excerpts:
What is the significance of Ijan Day Celebration?
Well, it started in 1986 with the sole aim of driving unity among the people and then bring lasting peace and development. The stakeholders then, many of whom had died conceived this celebration to promote our cultural values and heritage. If you check the historical records very well, Ijan stood out as one of the towns with vast and rich culture, particularly the Egungun Festival. That was why we got the sobriquet ” Ijan Lule Ede”, which means that “Ijan is the cradle of Ede masquerade”. So, to us as a people, this celebration is very significant, so important that we can’t afford to jettison it. Let me inform you that as of now, this is the only celebration that attracts Ijan sons and daughters, both home and in the diaspora to visit their origin. Because of modernity and the economic situation around the word, no one would come to Ijan to celebrate Egungun Festival anymore, except those living in neighboring states, or perhaps Lagos, Ogun and Oyo axis, but they used to come home even from abroad because of Ijan Day celebration. You can now rate the importance of the celebration yourself.
The theme of this year’s celebration was so unique, ‘Consolidating on unity for peace and development’ What does this suppose to mean?
It means a lot. As a journalist yourself, you know the importance of unity to any nation, state and community. You can imagine the discordant tunes and gulf of divisions disunity has brought to the Nigerian nation. Look at the killings, banditry, insurgency and political instability imported to our nation by ethnic divisions and political differences. That is how bad disunity can go in destroying any nation. Come to Ijan Ekiti, there was a time the three arms of Erunwa, Isuru and IKota couldn’t sit together on a round table to discuss anything. This even halted Ijan Day celebration for several years. We didn’t celebrate it for those years. No brainstorming , no community development and no avenue to raise money to propel community projects. We were in a dire strait then. We thank God that we are gradually overcoming this and forging a united front to make Ijan Ekiti great again. So, we believed we can only have peace and development if we are United as a people. Under this context, we were of the opinion that we must consolidate on this present unity we are building to herald a new dawn of peace and development expected of this modern time.
How has Ijan Day celebration been with the coming the new Onijan of Ijan Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Lawrence Aladesuyi?
Let me be honest with you, we are very lucky to have Kabiyesi being on the throne at this time. A man who is a peace maker. A unifier and someone who has the right exposure for development. His advent had added pomp and glamour to Ijan Day Celebration by all standards. Apart from the fact that the platform has helped in launching community development higher than ever before, our elites are not fully interested in contributing to community development. Do you know that people are now relocating from US to live in Ijan after retirement and even establishing high profile industries here? You can underscore the relevance of this to the growth of local economy in terms of employment generation, increase in aesthetic values of Ijan and increase in the purchasing powers of the people. With the way things are going, Kabiyesi has been a tremendous blessing and someone who is laying a solid foundation on how a modern celebration should be. I think we are getting it right; Ijan Ekiti is now on the right path.
What should people expect in the 2026 Ijan Day Celebration?
They should expect the usual glamour. The usual cultural facelift that we used to have. The glamour of unity and peace among our people. We have reeled out programmes that will touch every aspect of our lives as a people. From religious activities, to display by various masquerades, to miss Ijan competition, to lecture delivery to boost the mental and intellectual horizons of our people, age groups’ carnivals, youth carnivals, traditional youths’ activities, sporting activities and Iwure(traditional prayers) and many others. All these have been packaged to entertain our people throughout this one week programme and we are expecting a week of actions, bliss and progress this year.
Can you give us a full synopsis of the programme lined up for the celebration?
We have the hall of fame. The Hall of Fame initiative is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate distinguished sons and daughters of Ijan-Ekiti whose outstanding achievements, dedication, selfless service, and contributions have positively influenced our community and society at large. Through this initiative, we seek to appreciate individuals who have excelled in their chosen professions, supported community development, promoted education, encouraged youth empowerment, contributed to humanitarian causes, and helped project the good name of Ijan-Ekiti beyond our immediate environment. This recognition will also serve as an inspiration to younger generations, reminding them that hard work, integrity, excellence, and service to humanity are worthy of celebration. Our message is simple: those who have contributed to the growth and development of Ijan-Ekiti deserve to be remembered, appreciated, and celebrated.
Honouring our pioneers. A community that forgets its history risks losing the values that shaped its identity. As part of IJAN DAY 2026, we will honour the memories of our departed pioneers and community builders whose sacrifices, leadership, wisdom, and contributions laid the foundations upon which we continue to build today. We will also celebrate our living legends—individuals whose remarkable achievements, leadership, dedication, and commitment have continued to contribute to the growth and reputation of Ijan-Ekiti.This initiative will provide an opportunity for residents, especially the younger generation, to appreciate the stories of those who came before us, understand their sacrifices, and learn valuable lessons from their lives. By remembering our past and celebrating those who have served our community, we strengthen our collective identity and encourage a new generation of responsible, visionary, and community-minded leaders. We honour our past, appreciate our present, and inspire our future.
Miss Ijan Day celebration. The Miss Ijan Day initiative will add colour, excitement, and glamour to this year’s celebration while providing an opportunity to showcase the beauty, intelligence, confidence, cultural awareness, and talents of our young women.Beyond physical appearance, the initiative will promote good character, self-confidence, positive values, and a sense of responsibility towards community development. The selected Miss Ijan Day will receive a special gift in recognition of her participation and achievement.The initiative is also expected to encourage young women to embrace their cultural identity, develop their potential, and become positive ambassadors of Ijan-Ekiti wherever they find themselves.
The medical outreach. The health of our people remains essential to the progress and prosperity of our community. In line with this commitment, the medical outreach programme will return bigger and better, with the aim of bringing essential healthcare services closer to residents of Ijan-Ekiti. The programme is intended to provide an opportunity for residents to access available medical services, receive basic health checks, obtain useful health information, and learn more about preventive healthcare and healthy living. Particular attention will be given to encouraging residents to take their health seriously, seek timely medical attention, and adopt practices that promote healthier families and a healthier community. We encourage residents, including older people, women, young people, and other interested members of the community, to participate in the programme and take advantage of the services that will be made available.
Return of soccer battles among quarters. We should get ready for the return of the exciting and highly anticipated Soccer Battle! Football has a unique ability to bring people together, inspire young talents, encourage teamwork, and promote friendship among individuals and groups. The return of this sporting activity will provide an opportunity for football enthusiasts and young talents to showcase their abilities, compete in a spirit of sportsmanship, and entertain residents with thrilling moments on the pitch. We encourage our youths, football teams, supporters, and sports lovers to prepare for an exciting competition that promises to add tremendous energy to IJAN DAY 2026.
Emergence of new Oluomo of Ijan Ekiti
One of the remarkable highlights of IJAN DAY 2026 will be the emergence of the new Olu Ọmọ of Ijan-Ekiti, a distinguished traditional honour that celebrates the virtues, character, and exemplary conduct of a worthy son of our beloved community. The Olu Ọmọ title represents more than recognition; it reflects the values of integrity, honesty, humility, discipline, wisdom, and moral uprightness that our community cherishes and seeks to preserve for generations to come. The emergence of the new Olu Ọmọ will provide an opportunity to recognise a highly respected son of Ijan-Ekiti whose life, conduct, and relationship with others demonstrate good character, responsibility, and commitment to the values that define our community.
To achieve your aims and objectives, what is your advice to the sons and daughters of this great town?
They should cooperate with us. They should give us the expected cooperation that will make us stand out among the towns celebrating their days. We have constituted various committees, those empaneled or composed into all these bodies should firm up and work hard in unison to deliver, so that our efforts will not be in vain. I pray for all Ijan sons and daughters across the globe, God almighty will prosper, protect and elevate all of us. Gbogbo wa la ma kore oko dele loruko Jesu.