By Yomisaint Adebayo
Ancient tradition, modern spectacle and a sea of white and blue converge in Ondo City in a breathtaking celebration of heritage, love, peace and unity. There is a particular time of the year when Ondo City seems to remember itself. As August gives way to September and the signs of the annual Ogun Festival begin to emerge, the ancient kingdom takes on a different rhythm.
The familiar streets, normally defined by the ordinary routines of city life, gradually become the setting for one of the most remarkable expressions of Yoruba culture and communal identity. It is a period when the past does not merely return as history.
It walks the streets. The Ogun Festival, deeply rooted in the history and traditions of Ondo Kingdom, is observed annually between late August and early September. Its timing is traditionally linked to the appearance of the new moon, while preparations begin 17 days before the main celebration with the sounding of the ‘upe’, the traditional gourd trumpet, by the Ayadi ritual specialist. By the time the festival reaches its climax, the transformation is complete.
Hundreds of thousands of people – residents, Ondo descendants, visitors, cultural enthusiasts and participants drawn from different parts of the world have converged on the city. The sheer scale of the gathering makes the distinction between spectator and participant almost impossible to sustain.
