A week-long activities marking the 2026 edition of the Ode festival has ended with an appeal by the convener,the Obalodo of Oye Kingdom,High Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo to the indigenous to pray for peace and development of their communities.
Obalodo , who is the chief priest of the festival led people to the forest where they offered to their ancestors for peace ,unity and development of the communities in the old Oye Kingdom and Nigeria .
The adherents visited the Odo Ule forest where women , men , youths and Ejio groups celebrated and offered prayers for the development of the community.
The Celebration nearly turned to a funfair as some men dressed in women attires while the women group called “Obinrin Ile” beat the local drum , danced and drank palm wine to entertain themselves.
The Ejio group equally sang traditional songs with buffalo horns, talking bell and drums to add glamour to the event.
Addressing the adherents , Oguntoyinbo said he decided to celebrate the 2026 Ode festival in grand style as part of efforts to bring together the sons and daughters of the town.
He explained that the festival was celebrated 30 years ago during the reign of the late Obalodo, Chief Alonge Oguntoyinbo.
Obalodo thanked his people of both old and the young for participating actively in the festival and also for embracing peace which led to the success of a week-long festival.
“We are grateful to God for his support, I want to thank indigenes and residents of Oye-Ekiti for their active participation.
“Ode Festival has never been celebrated with lots of funfair for the past 30 years.
“The newly established shrine for the Ode festival was set up, we prayed and celebrated there, both old and young ones participated and It was very peaceful.
“For the past seven days since we started the festival activities, it has been a period of joy and happiness for every Indigenes of Oye Kingdom.
“We are very happy and thankful to God, that we did not record any form of accident, this year’s festival is a preparatory activities, it will be more elaborate in 2027 edition,” he said.
Chief Oguntoyinbo, however appealed to the natives of the town to continue to work for the development of Oye Ekiti.