• Adherents, tourists from 16 nations on pilgrimage to Oke-Igeti
By Lukman Olabiyi
Ekiti State has been acclaimed to be home to scores of globally revered Yoruba deities. They include Ogun, Osun, Esu and Orunmila. Adherents and tourists from 16 nations have indicated interest in coming on a confirmation visit to authenticate the veracity of these claims.
This World Ifa/Orisa Festival and Pilgrimage, tagged Oke-Igeti Festival 2023, is the take-off point. President, International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR), Oluwo Solagbade Popoola, said tourists would be received at Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on May 20, 2023.
He revealed: “This set of people would be coming to see the relics and apparatus of the deities in their various abodes in the state, which testify to their mythological existence. Some would be coming for tourism while a whole of lot of people both from within and outside Nigeria would be coming on pilgrimage.
“Aside from being the ancestral home of many ancient deities of the Yoruba, Ekiti is a land blessed with awesome springs and rivers that have traditional healing powers. Aside the Osun River source and the Osanyin healing pool in Isaba-Ekiti, another site of a natural wonder is the Arinta Waterfalls, Ipole-Iloro.”
He explained that ICIR would be leading thousands of religious tourists to Arinta for a special spiritual meditation: “The Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism will be officially informed so that necessary preparations towards receiving the contingents could be made.
“On Sunday, May 21, 2023 the pilgrimage would start at the shrine of Esu Laaroye at Ijelu in the morning. By evening of same day, Ogun Lakaaye Grove at Ire-Ekiti would be the next port of call. The following day, the train moves to the hydra-headed palm-tree at Ilogbo. It goes later to the Pooroye Grove at the palace of Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti.
“Tuesday, Isaba would be the first site followed by visit to Olomo Grove, Ijan-Ekiti. The second day is set aside for Erinjiyan. The tourists would pay homage to Olohan of Erinjiyan and pray at the base of Omi-Erin before going to Arinta Waterfalls for spiritual meditation and prayer.
“On Thursday, participants are expected to converge at Ewi’s Palace for a cultural symposium, with the theme; ‘Ká Má Baà Gbàgbé.’ (So that We May Not Forget). Keynote addresses will be delivered. It would start at 10am till 2pm when the train moves to Oke-Igeti for Ifá divination, sacrifices and prayers.
“Igede-Ekiti would host participants on Friday. Programme commences from the palace of Onigede and cascade to the source of Osun River, along Awo-Ekiti Road. Saturday is for ‘Igbohun Ifá’ (hearing of the message of Ifá to the world).
“It will start from Oke-igeti with the initiates while delivery of the message will be at Olota Mountain, with a night vigil. On Sunday, leaders of ICIR will take the message of the divinity to the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti to mark the end of the festival.”
A top member of ICIR, Chief Ifaniyi Awoyemi, said the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Ekiti State, promised to assist in grading the Oke-Olota to facilitate the use of the site. He charged the ICIR host chapter to do a follow-up on the site.
He reiterated the need for the release of the portion of the Ekiti Government House that was the seat of Orunmila for the optimal tourism and spiritual benefit to the state.
Awoyemi lauded Governor Abiodun Oyebanji for showing “great commitment to human and societal development. I have no doubt that culture and tourism will enjoy needed attention under his administration having made it an agenda in the developmental plan of his administration.”