BY LAW IBITOYE
Ilupeju Ekiti came alive over the weekend as residents and dignitaries converged at the popular Idi Uto market square for the 2025 edition of the Odun Ijesu (Yam Festival), presided over by His Royal Majesty, Oba Sunday David Awe Akingbade, the Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti.
The annual celebration, which began on Saturday, July 5, reached its climax on Sunday, July 6, with fanfare, traditional music, and royal prayers. The event, showcased the culture and agricultural heritage of Ilupeju Ekiti people, is observed to mark the end of the farming struggle—symbolizing the transition from planting and mushing to harvesting. It also represents a time when both indigenes and non-indigenes bring new yams to the market to celebrate and share in communal feasting.
Addressing a crowd of chiefs, residents, and well-wishers at Idi Uto, the Apeju, HRM Oba Akingbade, offered fervent prayers for the peace, unity, and prosperity of Ilupeju Ekiti. The monarch prayed for his subjects, both at home and in the diaspora, asking God to grant them safety, growth, and renewed strength in the new agricultural year.
“We are grateful to the Almighty for sparing our lives to witness yet another Odun Ijesu. This festival reminds us of our shared values, our hard work as farmers, and the need to unite as one people,” Oba Akingbade declared. “It is more than a cultural event; it is a celebration of our resilience and divine blessings.”
The second-in-command, His Highness Sunday Ogunsola, the Obanla of Ilupeju Ekiti, who also thanked God for the life of the people and urged all residents to support the festival in the coming years.
“This festival is a symbol of our identity as a community. Let us continue to preserve it and make it grow bigger each year. It is a time of togetherness, thanksgiving, and forward planning for our great town,” said the Obanla.
Also in attendance was the Chairman of Ifeloju Local Council Development Area, Hon. Olusola Michael Oniyelu, who congratulated the traditional institution and the people of Ilupeju Ekiti on a successful celebration.
“As from next year, we will scale up the Odun Ijesu celebration to attract investors and showcase the rich culture of Ilupeju to the outside world,” Hon. Oniyelu announced. “We have a responsibility to preserve our heritage and promote our local economy through culture.”
Speaking on behalf of the royal families, Prince Olufemi Oniyelu praised the festival’s role in fostering unity among the people. He appealed for more support from indigenes and cultural enthusiasts to sustain and grow the event.
Chief Michael Alonge, the Elegbe and custodian of the Menare market, also took the opportunity to emphasize the spiritual and economic significance of the yam festival. He prayed for all sons and daughters of the land to excel in their various endeavors and highlighted the need to uphold Ilupeju’s traditions.
The 2025 Odun Ijesu Festival was characterized by cultural displays, music, and dancing led by the Apeju from ‘IDI UTO’ through Iyana ire to the palace where a popular musician, AGADA entertained residents with several Ilupeju songs as residents expressed joy and gratitude for a successful harvest season. Community members ate cooked yams which symbolised abundance and unity at the palace and ‘IDI UTO’
