Obesere, Taye Turaya, Oodua Cultural Troupe dazzle at Okota Festival

The sleepy town of Arigidi–Akoko in Ondo State came alive penultimate Tuesday/ Wednesday when thousands of indigenes, residents of the ancient town and their well-wishers were treated to fun by fuji music icon, Alhaji Abass Obesere, Taye Turaya as well as Oodua cultural Troupe during this year’s Okota Festival. The two-day festival which was kicked off with a beauty pageant is an annual event put together by the Olokun Festival Foundation. This year’s edition drew people from various walks of lives and was full of fun. The winner of the beauty pageant which held on the eve of the grand finale of the festival and was contested by over thirteen beautiful girls was won by Akinrinmade Abidemi Opemipo, a medical student from the Babacock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, who also went away with a star prize of a saloon car. Speaking on the significance of Okota Festival, the traditional ruler of the town, the Zaki of Arigidi Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun explained that Okota Festival is one of the highest festivals they have in Arigidi. “In the olden days, if you are a woman and you are going to the farm with your baby and you put your child beside Okota River, before you come back it would have bathed your baby and put powder on him or her. It is a very responsible shrine.” He commended the Chief Promoter of Olokun Foundation, Otunba Gani Adam, who is also an indigene of the town for continuously sponsoring the festival annually and making it known to the whole world. He added that “if you have any challenges and you go to the Okota Shrine and take the water, you will come back the following year with great testimonies.” The grand finale of the event took place at the palace square and featured music by Obesere, Taye Turaya; cultural displays; the festival lecture with the title, Showcasing tradition and preserving inheritance through cultural awareness, delivered by Dr Boluwaji Oshodi of the Department of Linguistics and Languages, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. Speaking at the occasion, Otunba Gani Adams said the festival is aiming at promoting the people’s identity and to put the youths in activity that will make them busy in the society. He said the second reason for the celebration of the festival is to promote tourism which he described as an untapped gold in this country. He said the Okota river is located at the foot of the hills of Ede-Uyo in Ijaja quarters of Arigidi Akoko and that every July indigenes of the town come together to celebrate the festival in honour of the river goddess. “This celebration is therefore inspired by the benevolence of our highly revered Okota river goddess. She is ascribed to possess great potent supernatural powers. Enumerating the importance of the celebration, he said that the strategic location of the river is a boost to agricultural production of the people adding that, the celebration of Okota Festival is also a boost to the development of tourism and economic sustenance of the people. “As you can see, this festival has drawn people from far and near. Along with the presence of the crowd, this celebration has drawn the brisk business they are doing. “On the whole, the celebration of Okota Festival represents our people’s way of giving thanks for its benevolence, seeking forgiveness for our sins in past years and praying for favour and blessings of the goddess. “Olokun Festival Foundation investment in organising Okota Festival annually is also an opportunity for the town to showcase the event as an important tourist attraction to the world,” he said. He said one of the ways the Olokun Festival Foundation continue to contribute to individual and governmental economic development efforts is through identification and exploration of prosperity that are inherent in the development of religious and cultural tourism. “It is the need for our country to explore extra and alternative revenue earner in the face of negative twists and turns in her economic fortunes that informs Olokun Festival Foundation continuous investment in tourism development through our indigenous cultural festivities,” Adams said. The festival was also witnessed by representatives of the state government, local governments and the traditional rulers in the surrounding towns.