Oke Ibadan festival

Photo credit: Goggle

By:Zakariyau Hajarat 

Oke Ibadan which translates to “Hill of Ibadan” is an ancient festival celebrated by the Ibadan people. This festival helps to gather all Ibadan indigenes both at home and abroad to celebrate.

It is held annually in March to celebrate how Ibadan town was formed by homesteaders from east and north during the 18th century. Oke Ibadan festival is one that’s deeply rooted in history and has always been celebrated by all indigenes of the town. 

According to history, there was a hill that favored Lagelu, the founder of Ibadan town, and whenever he went to war, this hill would help him conquer and he began to appease the hill ever since. Slaves were used as a sacrifice to the hill in the olden days but that ped and they started trying rams. Ram sacrifice is carried out by the least among the wives of the Aboke and it is carried in the afternoon and placed on the hill. 

During this festival, there are rituals to perform and consequences of not performing these rituals. No indigene of the town must eat a day before the festival as all food must be cooked on the hill; Oke Ibadan before the festival. It is believed that anyone who cooks that day would be visited with a high fever.

Edited by: Adebayo Nurudeen

Published by: Mondiu sherifat