By John Dike, Osogbo
The Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has emerged from a seven-day spiritual seclusion undertaken as part of the 2026 edition of Olojo Festival, offering prayers for peace, unity, prosperity and the wellbeing of Nigerians.
The Ooni, who is the Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Natural Head of the Oduduwa race worldwide and Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), emerged from the sacred seclusion on Friday night.
According to a statement issued by the Senior Media Officer, Ooni’s Palace, Sodiq Lawal, on behalf of the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Otunba Moses Olafare, the emergence took place on Ojo Ilagun, the traditional day associated with the cleansing of Ile-Ife and the delivery of the Oonirisa’s Terrestrial Message to Mankind.
The seven-day spiritual retreat is regarded as one of the most significant stages of the annual Olojo Festival, during which the Ooni withdraws from routine public engagements for spiritual communion, reflection and preparation for the major traditional rites of the festival.
Speaking shortly after completing the seclusion, the Ooni said the period provided an opportunity for him to commune with the ancestors and offer prayers for Nigerians and the nation.
He prayed for the country’s leaders, communities, families and young people, seeking divine intervention, peace and continued progress for Nigeria.
The traditional ruler also emphasised the importance of unity and collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to embrace peaceful coexistence and work together towards building a better future for the country.
The Ooni’s message is closely linked to the philosophy and historical significance of the Olojo Festival, which is rooted in the celebration of the first dawn and the ancestral heritage of Ile-Ife.
Olojo is traditionally associated with the ancestral history of Ile-Ife and the Oduduwa heritage, serving as an annual platform for the preservation, promotion and transmission of indigenous Yoruba traditions and values from one generation to another.
For the Ooni, the spiritual and ancestral dimensions of the festival remain central to its significance, beyond its cultural and communal celebrations.
With the conclusion of the seven-day seclusion, attention will shift on Saturday, September 26, to the major public ceremonies of the 2026 Olojo Festival, including the official cultural ceremony, the Okemogun Pilgrimage and the traditional Aare Cultural Procession.
The Ooni is expected to appear in the sacred Aare Crown during the major rites.
The Aare Crown occupies a significant position in Olojo tradition and is associated with the ancestral heritage of Oduduwa. Traditionally, the crown is brought out during the festival following the Ooni’s period of spiritual seclusion.
The Olojo Festival consequently combines spiritual observance, ancestral remembrance, cultural preservation and communal celebration, drawing attention annually to the historical and cultural heritage of Ile-Ife and the wider Yoruba civilisation.
The festival also provides an avenue for the reaffirmation of traditional values, communal identity and the transmission of indigenous heritage to younger generations.
As the 2026 edition enters its major ceremonial phase, the Ooni’s prayers and message of peace and unity are expected to form part of the broader spiritual and cultural significance attached to this year’s celebration.
