The Ovia-Osese is an annual festival celebrated by the Ogori people of Ogori-Magongo local government area of Kogi state. It’s usually a week-long programme of activities celebrated two weeks after Easter, bringing together sons and daughters of the community from around the globe.
It is used for the initiation of young girls between ages 15 to 20 into womanhood. The grand finale of the 2025 Ovia Osese festival was held on May 3, 2025, amid glamour, pomp and pageantry.
The festival holds a significance that goes far beyond mere celebration. It serves as a vital catalyst for community cohesion and cultural preservation. Rooted in the rich cultural heritage and tradition of Ogori people, this festival brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds to foster a sense of belonging and unity among community members. This collective identity is crucial for maintaining the social fabric of Ogoriland, reinforcing the values and customs that define the community’s distinct character.
Traditionally, Ogori Ovia-Osese is a festival organised for the initiation of young girls or maidens known as Ivia into womanhood. The festival symbolises chastity, virginity and purity in conformity with the laws and social norms of the Ogori people.
Those to be initiated are adjudged by the community to have preserved the sanctity of virginity prior to the time of the festival.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, the secretary-general of the Ogori Descendant Union (ODU), Ebenezer Adurodija, said over the years, the Ovia-Osese festival has undergone transformation and has assumed international recognition, attracting foreign personalities and culture enthusiasts.
“The festival, which honours morality and chastity of the girl-child as well the spiritual resilience of the Ogori people, has evolved over centuries to become a significant link between the community’s past and the present.”
Making reference to Askari, he noted that the Ovia-Osese initially began as a private family affair but gained widespread acceptance among Ogori families over time.
He added that the tradition tells a story of a concerned mother who sought guidance from an oracle when rumours spread about her daughter’s behaviour but the daughter was declared innocent and chaste, confirming her virginity.
The mother joyfully shared the news with the community through a song, dance and a grand celebration.
He however said, another account of the festival’s origin suggests that Ovia-Osese may have been influenced by similar traditions in neighbouring regions such as Owo in Ondo State or Benin in the present Edo State.
This year’s week-long activities had a lot of side attractions. On the sidelines, there were other activities like beauty pageant, school debate and quiz, sporting events, cooking competition, talent hunt, carnival, a free health programme and many others.
There was also a large preparation of assorted food, especially by those whose daughters were being initiated.
Apart from priding itself as the ‘Home of Elites’, having over 150 professors to its credit, Ogori is also the home of culture.
It is one community whose rich culture has placed it on the world map. The importance of this festival is such an important aspect of the life of the people that if any girl fails to perform it, she will hardly become married. At least, not to any man from the community.
Traditionally, in the past, the maidens used to come out naked, adorned only with beads, however, today modernity has changed that.
Over the years, the Ogori Descendants Union (ODU) has been in the forefront of ensuring the successful hosting of this annual cultural festival.
The 2025 Ovia-Osese festival showcased how disciplined and reserved Ogori girls were before getting married.
One other significant innovation is the incorporation of digital marketing strategies. In an era where social media dominates communication, the festival utilised various online platforms to promote its events, engage with a wider audience and attract tourists.
This digital outreach has enabled the festival to reach individuals beyond Ogoriland, showcasing the culture and traditions of the community to a global audience.
The national president of ODU, Dr Aiso Gabriel Osiwomequin said, “Ovia-Osese is more than a cultural festival; it is a symbol of transition, hope and community. It reminds us that no matter where life takes us, the roots of Ogori run deep in our hearts. It reminds us that our greatest strength lies in our togetherness.
“In this spirit of unity, I stand before you with profound gratitude. I salute every son and daughter of Ogori at home and in the diaspora either by birth or by association who has contributed, in big and small ways, to the growth and development of our land.
“Whether by construction of roads, building of classrooms, supporting the hospital, starting up a cooperative, nurturing of our youth, preservation of our culture and promotion of peace, your efforts have made Ogori a proud and thriving community.”
The ODU president projected that Ogori, an ancient community in Kogi State, could become one of the biggest tourist destinations if the government could invest more in the Ovia-Osese festival by developing the numerous tourist sites in the area.
Dr Aiso, therefore, appealed to the Kogi State government to help the union in developing the tourist sites in Ogori, in Ogori-Magongo local government area, to make the annual Ovia-Osese festival a tourist attraction, putting the state and Nigeria on the global festival map, adding that the festival is the only Kogi State festival that is recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Also, the chairman, ODU Education and Culture Committee, Comr. Alao Michael Oloruntoba said the festival is a celebration of womanhood, defined by cultural norms of the Ogori community.
“I salute all the mothers here because it is not a mean task policing daughters, especially the new era daughters, to live a responsible, morally clean life in readiness for marriage life,” he said.
A veteran Army officer, Major General Erema Akerejola, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that he was happy that his daughter Isovie Akerejola was among the young girls initiated into womanhood, during the 2025 Ovia-Osese festival in Ogori.
According to the elated general, it’s a pride for any family whose child is preserved to participate in the initiation ceremony, which signifies purity in strict adherence to the age-long cultural and tradition of the Ogori people.
In the same vein, a former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Kogi State government and the vice chairperson of ODU (National), Mrs Petra Akinti Onyegbule, described the festival as iconic, adding that, “It brings out the uniqueness of the Ogori people. It is our pride as a people. It is a festival we inherited from our forebears and we have done all within our powers to sustain it. I can assure you that it is one festival that the message has not been corrupted by modernity or civilisation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the festival, the chairperson of Ogori-Magongo local government area, Hon. Rosemary Ohiezu, said, “I am impressed with all I saw, and of course it further confirms that this festival can compare and compete globally if supported by government and the private sector. Tourism is a big money-spinning event, and Ovia-Osese can offer Nigeria that unique opportunity to earn foreign exchange from tourism.
“In the past, every family of the Ogori community had a culture of initiating their daughters into adulthood. During this stage, the family prepares the female gender that is ripe for marriage on how to plan a home, cook and do the female activities.”
Age Grade System In Ogori Land
Age groups are an integral part of events in Ogori. They come together for community development efforts, celebrate their members and stand by one of them when the storm of life hits.
Age groups in Ogori comprise three consecutive age grades and the grading system is different for males and females.
Whereas men’s age groups are graded based on the year of birth, for women, it is based on the year the women participated in Ovia-Osese, that is the year of initiation.
For instance, men born in 1978, 1979, 1980, belong in the same age group.
On her part, the Woman King, the Iyodina, Chief Mrs Oluwatoyin Oluwamemimo Iyela, Iyodina Eyisinayo IV, who supervises and educates the young girls preparatory to the initiation, said it is a duty she owes the community, particularly the young girls called Ivia, who are prepared under her supervision for the initiation ceremony.
A second-class traditional ruler in Ogori, The Uboro-Ajagajigi of Ogori, His Royal Highness, Chief (Professor) Eminefo Olugbemiro Akerejola, whose granddaughter participated in the initiation ceremony, could not hide his joy.
“I’m one of the happiest people today. All my children are males. So, having a granddaughter participating in the Ovia-Osese festival in my lifetime is a pride to me,” she said.
She further stated that for a week, these maidens are camped by the Iyodina, a chieftain of Ogori culture. She trains them in the ways of women and how to keep the family.
“They are taken through training as to what it means to be a girl with strong moral standing, trained to respect families and cultures, trained about what in-laws are all about and how to respect them, trained about food, trained in the arts and the aesthetics.”
With the promise of the government to invest more in the development of the tourist sites in the area, it’s hoped that the festival would become more attractive and bring more development to the community and the state.
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