The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, is expected to lead traditional rulers from across the South West to Ijero Ekiti for the 2026 Ita Ajero Festival.
The Owa Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adebayo, disclosed this on Monday while unveiling activities for this year’s celebration. He said the festival was created to strengthen Yoruba unity while preserving the history and cultural identity of the people.
According to the monarch, Ita Ajero goes beyond a yearly cultural gathering, as it is deeply connected to the shared ancestry of the Yoruba people and their traditional system of decision making.
“Ita Ajero Festival is more than a cultural celebration, but a historic gathering rooted in the shared ancestry of the Yoruba race,” Adebayo said.
He explained that the festival has its roots in the historic relationship between Ijero and Ile Ife, where descendants of Oduduwa were said to have gathered to deliberate on issues affecting their communities.
“Ita Ajero is not just a festival. It is our history, our culture and the place where the children of Oduduwa gathered to deliberate and take decisions. That is why we associate it with the beginning of democracy,” he added.
Adebayo also recalled an earlier visit in which the Ooni personally led representatives of Ijero to the original Ita Ajero site in Ile Ife. He said the experience further strengthened their understanding of the historical importance of the festival.
The monarch encouraged Ijero indigenes living in Nigeria and abroad to return home for the celebration, assuring visitors that adequate security arrangements would be put in place.
The modern version of the festival was conceived following a 2023 gathering of Ijero indigenes in Texas, United States. Participants from different parts of North America, South America and Europe agreed to establish an annual event that would reconnect the community with its ancestral roots.
The first edition was held in 2024, followed by the second in 2025. This year’s celebration, scheduled for August 21, will be the third edition.
Adebayo said the organisers deliberately linked the festival with the traditional Ogun Festival because of Ogun’s important place in Yoruba history as the deity associated with warfare, protection, farming and craftsmanship.
The kingdom’s four traditional masquerades are also expected to be part of the celebrations, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to experience important aspects of Ijero’s cultural heritage.
According to the Secretary of the Ita Ajero Festival Foundation, High Chief Ayo Afolabi, activities for the 2026 edition will begin on August 18 and continue until the grand finale on August 21.
The programme will include the Miss Ita Ajero Pageant on August 19, Shugudu Night on August 20 and the grand finale at Erekesen Market Square on August 21.
Afolabi also disclosed plans to establish a N2 billion Ita Ajero Festival Pavilion and called on individuals, corporate organisations and Ijero indigenes to support the project.
The Director General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Development and Investment Promotion, Lanre Ojo Lanre, described Ita Ajero as one of the rapidly growing cultural festivals in Yorubaland and assured the organisers of the state government’s continued support.
The Secretary of the Ijero Youth Association, Pastor Akin Alufa, also called on young people in the community to take an active role in the festival and contribute to the development of Ijero.
