New Yam Festival: A Celebration of Life and Culture

The "little" big town of Ogidi

Ogidi is a town currently located in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. It is renowned for its agricultural produce and arts. One of its popular produce, yam, is hugely celebrated yearly at the harvest of new yams from the farms, in an elaborate ceremony popularly known as the New Yam Festival. The New Yam Festival is celebrated as the town's day - Ogidi Day. The celebration attracts tourists from the country and offers a platform for the women to show their art to visitors.

Yam is food and food is yam

Yam is significant to the planting and harvesting season of Ogidi community as it is regarded as a miraculous plant that signifies fertility. Once new yams are harvested from the farms in good quantity and conditions, it is believed that the year will be illustrious and that the ground will be fertile for other crops.

"Ise logun Ise"

"Work is the cure for poverty" is the slogan of community farmers who work hard to make agricultural produce available throughout the nation. Farmers are recognized and encouraged to keep up the good work.

"Soludero of Ogidi land"

Investors, good deeds and accomplishments within the community are recognized during the festival. Chieftaincy titles are given to appreciate significant community contributors for creating industries and employment opportunities for locals. One of such titles is the "soludero" - setting the community at ease.

Fruitful Festival

Young women in the community assemble different homegrown fruits in a basket as a part of the festival. A young woman who is dressed in white with her hair styled in the tradition of Ogidi women carry this basket of fruit round the community early in the morning seeking for a fruitful year, bountiful harvest and fertility. She is accompanied with singing by other young women dressed in similar attires.

Meet Nike Davies-Okundaye

One of the major influencers of the festival is Mrs Nike Davies-Okundaye, the Agbasaga of Ogidi land. As one of the chiefs in royal council, she has an important role. All the chiefs and illustrious sons and daughters of Ogidi land find their way home to celebrate and support the people on this day. One of the ways through which Nike has shown her support is her investment in textile and art for the women in the community.

A community that shares food stays stronger together

Food is shared to all and sundry at Mama Nike's Ijumu Art Gallery. Children, adults and guests have bowls of amala served with "gbegiri" (bean soup) and "ewedu". Amala is made from yam flour.

Dancers wearing Adire garments

Nike cultural group performs the traditional Yoruba "bata" dance, wearing batik and Adire textiles.

Benin dancer with "eben"

The Benin traditional sword and handpiece "eben" is an accessory used in performing the Esapaide dance.

Children dance group

New Yam Festival is an opportunity for every age group of the society to perform what is unique to them. On the day of the festival, children are excited to perform to the Ologidi (king of Ogidi land) and the guests who attend the event.

Olaga

Traditional female drummers sing praises and "oriki" of local names to the King and people. They also sing to praise the people of the town. They are traditionally dressed in aso-oke, a piece of clothing tied around the waist with beads crisscrossed around the neck. Their hair is styled traditionally in "suku" with safety pins for decoration.

Oya

A lady is costumed as Oya, the wife of Sango, the god of lightning and thunder. She is dressed in Ogboni clothes.

Beats and drums

Young lads perform to the lead drummer's talking drum.

A display of traditional drums

Yoruba drums are legendary in telling tales and giving instructions. Dancers from various neighbouring communities perform with all kinds of traditional drums that are unique to their dance and culture in celebration of the festival. Examples of such drums are the Gudugudu drum and Iya Ilu drum used in bata dances.

Bata Drum

Bata drum is a traditional drum that is beaten during bata dances. Its unique sound is produced by a thick leather, "bulala".

Ondo dancers

Ondo dancers in celebration with Ogidi land perform their traditional dance with singing before the Ologidi and the people. Dancers are dressed in "kijipa", locally handspun and dyed in indigo.

A festival of art and culture

Ogidi community is synonymous with art. Hence, the New Yam Festival in Ogidi is celebrated in batik-fashioned attires inspired by Chief Nike Davies. Ankara, face-painted motifs and aso-oke are worn during the celebration.

Praise singers

Traditional singers perform to talking drums and "sekere" (beaded gourds). They sing "oriki" (praises), folktales and traditional songs to dignitaries and the people.

Irukere and traditional beads

Horsetail (or "irukere", as the locals call it) is a traditional Yoruba hand-piece that signifies royalty, authority and fashion. Beads, locally known as "ileke", are part of Yoruba traditional fashion worn by different age groups. They signify various authority ranks and cultural status.

Igbabolelimin

Igbabolelimin means "masquerade from the spirit world".

In performance, Igbabolelimin does acrobatic moves to songs and drums played by its entourage.

Gelede

Gelede is a human being wearing a mask -- an exaggerated head mask which either represents male or female. Features of gender are exaggerated, and the gelede performs in drama and dance, usually comical, to musical instruments.

Traditionally, the masks are carved from wood and made to represent a man or a woman with all her tribal marks and plaited hair.

Igunnuko

Igunnuko is a tall masquerade that can lengthen or shorten itself. During special festivals like the New Yam Festival, it makes an appearance to perform for the king and the people.

Igunnuko masquerade on the roll

In excitement, Igunnuko rolls on itself to amuse spectators.

Agbo Olode

Agbo Olode is a masquerade that has special outings on celebratory days in Ogidi. It is important that Agbo Olode makes an appearance at Ogidi's New Yam Festival because Agbo Olode's appearance draws rain for a new planting season. Agbo Olode is a masquerade of fertility and bountiful harvest. It is believed that the heavy leaves on Agbo Olode are the people and the masquerade carry the people on itself to appease the gods.

Agbo Olode's blessings

During the ceremony, Agbo Olode is sought after for prayers and blessings as it is believed that barren women will have children once Agbo Olode sits on their thighs and offers prayers. For others who want blessings of marriage, money and bountiful harvest, Agbo Olode will sit at their feet to offer prayers to the gods.

Egungun Oniye

Egungun Oniye means "the masquerade of feathers". As the name connotes, it is dressed with feathers from various birds and accompanied with traditional drums and local horn which is a signature of the masquerade. Egungun Oniye from Ayetoro-Gbede of Ijumu appears in celebration of Ogidi's New Yam Festival.