Reminiscing: Ogidi Day Festival 2022

When you have a reason or motivation to do something in life, nothing can stop you except yourself. On 9 March 2021, when the Director-General of the Ogidi Day Festival, Mr Tunde Ipinmishọ, first hinted that I might be called upon to be the 2022 Ogidi Day "Father of the Day," the first question that came to my mind was, why me? After a relatively long period of silence, I told him that I would consult with my wife, my children, and senior members of the Idawẹrọ clan. My initial feeling was that it was not something I should be involved in, especially since I was in the middle of raising funds to complete the St Michael's Ogidi rebuilding project, which had started in October of the previous year. We were all working towards completing the school project by June so that the official handover to the local government authority, its owner, would coincide with the Ogidi Day festival. At that stage, I did not think I had enough reason or motivation to travel to Nigeria just for the handover ceremony.

I was still in the middle of my consultations when Tunde Ipinmishọ delivered another important message. He told me that, in recognition of my contributions to the development of our community, I was being considered for a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2021 Ogidi Day festival. With this information, it seemed I had found enough reason and motivation to travel to Nigeria in June, using one stone to kill two birds. This was despite the precarious security situation across the country. It meant that I would have to attend both the 2021 and 2022 Ogidi Day festivals. The first visit would be to attend the school handover ceremony, collect the award, and receive the "Father of the Day" instruments for the Ogidi Day Yam Festival, i.e., the hoe and cutlass. The second visit would be to attend the festival as the Father of the Day and hand over the baton to the next person.

I began planning to attend both ceremonies in June 2021, but as the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic continued unabated, it became increasingly challenging to travel to Nigeria due to worldwide travel restrictions. Little did I know that, in less than four months, I would have to be in Nigeria to attend the burial of my late father-in-law, who died in October of that year. God works in mysterious ways.

Having previously attended the Ogidi Day festival twice, I had a fair idea of what to expect. I was also familiar with the role of the Father of the Day, having had the opportunity to attend the 2017 event, in which my uncle, Chief Abiọdun Ẹhindẹrọ, pioneered the role. So, in preparing for the role in 2022, I had a good understanding of what was expected of me. However, what I did not factor in was the impact of Tayọ and her brother Olukorede's decision to join me in the celebration.

One of the greatest challenges of travelling to Nigeria today is the high level of insecurity, with rampant news of kidnappings for ransom, banditry, and terrorism across the country. Just a few days before we were due to travel, we heard news of a terrorist bombing at a Roman Catholic Church in Ọwọ, killing over 40 people who were attending Mass on Pentecost Day. Ọwọ is less than 60 miles from Ogidi, the venue for the festival. That week alone, I recorded at least two other kidnapping incidents, one involving Mr Kanu-Uche, the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, and two others who were freed after a N100 million ransom was paid. Another was a Catholic priest, also in Ọwọ. The fear these incidents created in me was palpable, especially since we had already bought our tickets. My wife expressed her concern about the safety of our children. Olukorede, however, was quite philosophical about it. He said, "Dad, I've just returned from a five-day holiday in Mexico, one of the worst crime destinations in the world. Nigeria cannot be worse than that." That was a reassuring comment.

Grace and I arrived in Ogidi on the evening of Tuesday, 14 June, ahead of Tayọ and Olukorede. We were probably among the early arrivals. There was already a feeling of celebration everywhere.

By Thursday, Ogidi was ready to welcome back home its sons and daughters from far and wide. It was a great relief when Tayọ and Olukorede arrived in Ogidi around 4 p.m. There was excitement in the household.

The first event was a tour of my father's house, the first storey building in Ogidi and one of the first with corrugated iron roofing in the community, built around 1925. The purpose of the tour was to showcase the oldest building in Ogidi, along with the historical narrative of who lived in each room.

With the financial support received from Justice Michael Medupin (rtd), the family house—which I consider to be a Grade 1 listed building by British standards—has just been renovated.

The tour of Pa Elega's iconic house started at 10 a.m. on Friday, 17th June. The tour group was made up of over 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the various family members who had lived there. During the tour, I guided them around the 14 rooms in the house, sharing stories of who lived where and which of today's prominent figures were born in which room. A photo exhibition of the personalities who had lived in the house was displayed at the entrance to each room.

Among those who once lived there was the late Pa Cyril Ẹhindẹrọ, who went on to build his own storey building in Ewode, Ogidi. 

      

Also, there was Alfa (later Alhaji) Yusuf Aiyenoloun, the father of Mrs Fatima Raji. It was in his room that I first saw a painting of the biblical snake with naked Adam and Eve covering their lower parts with leaves. Children were rarely seen entering the room. I showed them the room where Pa Akọmọlafẹ Aduloju, the father of Mr Daniel Akọmọlafẹ, lived. I narrated my first experience of him as a hunter; children were always scared of breaking any taboos in his presence. I explained that he was a disciplinarian par excellence and owned an orange tree in front of the house. I also showed them where the late Pa Augustine Medupin lived, as well as the late Mr Sylvester Olusaye, and many others. Judging by the quality of the questions they asked me and their enthusiastic responses, I knew that the exercise was well worth it. Family is everything.

This year’s medical outreach, sponsored and organised by Ogidi sons and daughters in the diaspora, was an outstanding success. Although this was my third time attending the annual festival, it was my first time experiencing what went on behind the scenes. The enthusiastic response to the services provided by the medical team—comprising doctors, nurses, opticians, and others—was inspiring. I understand this year’s outreach saw the largest turnout of people needing medical treatment. I also learned that this year’s outreach would be the last to be organised as an annual event; it will move towards a more permanent service operated through some kind of sustainable community insurance scheme.

Later in the afternoon, I had the honour and privilege of being the guest of Medpark Football Club and watched as they defeated their opponents, another local team, by 5 goals to nil. This event coincided with an expedition to Ọda Mountain, overlooking the school. Temitayọ and Olukorede were part of the expedition, which they both described as a life-changing experience. They joined me later to watch Medpark Football Club thrash their opponents on a field that looked more like a sand pit than a football pitch.

Later in the evening, there was a gathering of members of the Idawẹrọ family and friends for reminiscences, songs, dance, and drama. Unfortunately, this part of the event did not go as expected due to an apparent misunderstanding among the Idawero wives. Nevertheless, it was still a great night of music and dancing with plenty of food and drinks.

By 6:45 a.m. on the D-Day, I, along with a few members of my nuclear and extended families, associates, and well-wishers, were at St Thomas Catholic Church, Ogidi, for a special Mass at which the success of the festival was committed to God.

Again, the activities planned to kickstart my role as the "Father of Ogidi Day" festival, which was meant to start at 8 a.m. with a light breakfast, music, and tea, did not go as expected for some reason. The procession to Kabiyesi's palace, which had been scheduled to start from the family house at 9:45 a.m., did not begin until past 10 a.m. when only a few friends and members of the clan had arrived. They joined in a procession of music and dance to the palace of the Ologidi of Ogidi, Ọba Rabiu Ọladimeji Sule, to pay homage to the monarch. As we edged toward the palace, more people joined the procession, all singing and dancing to Bọda Jide's music.

By the time we arrived at the entrance of the palace, a large crowd had gathered, waiting for us. I entered the palace with my wife and paid homage to the king. He welcomed us, gave us his blessing, and gave his seal of approval for us to proceed to the arena for the day's event.

The large crowd of people that joined me from the palace to the Ogidi Day arena was remarkable. It was glorious. It was gratifying. I couldn’t have asked for more. The atmosphere was electrifying. There was music, singing, and dancing all the way into the festival arena. Even at 10:30 a.m., the weather was already hot enough to cause me to sweat under my heavy three-piece regalia with an "eleti aja" cap, all made of Asọ Ofi.

As the procession entered the arena, I saw dozens of Idawẹrọ wives, mothers, and grandmothers dancing towards us, welcoming me with my cognomen and referencing the achievements of my forefathers. I was close to tears of joy, seeing such a large number of people acknowledging the arrival of the "Father of the Day." What a memorable day.

The layout of the arena looked completely different from the previous ones I had seen. The podium was constructed in front of the old maternity building, facing the Town Hall and overlooking Ayọnrọ Mountain and the Nikẹ Gallery. This arrangement added a stunningly beautiful backdrop for the dignitaries seated on the podium and, at the same time, gave the entire arena a more spacious appearance. The podium itself looked impressive from a distance but required caution when climbing the ladder and walking on the stage. Grace and I were seated in the front row, along with the Ologidi and other royal fathers. As the number of royal fathers increased beyond the available seats on the podium, it soon became necessary to rearrange the settees to create more space and accommodate everyone. At one point, I felt concerned about the potential consequences of increasing the number of people on the podium.

My arrival was followed by a large procession of praise singers, professional dancers, artists, and acrobats who accompanied Chief Nikẹ Okundaye, ushering her and her entourage into the arena with pomp and pageantry. The atmosphere was thrilling, to say the least.

The arrival of the Ologidi of Ogidi, Ọba Rabiu Ọladimeji Sule, was announced with the beating of the Ogidigbo drum, followed by three grand and impressively dressed Agbo Olode Masquerades. The Ologidi’s arrival in the arena marked the official beginning of the celebration, and it was magical. I felt awed by the rich culture of my community and immensely proud and grateful to be part of this agrarian society. Ogidi, agbe gha o.

The arrival of royal fathers from neighbouring communities and top politicians was announced as they entered the arena, each ushered to their seats on the podium.

The event started at about 11 a.m., one hour behind schedule, with a procession of various groups paying homage to the Ologidi and other royal fathers. 

Many noticeable innovations were introduced this year, which greatly enhanced the quality of the event. The dramatic presentation of the New Yam to the Kabiyesi by Chief Nikẹ Okundaye, along with her spectacular display of artistic talent, was remarkable. Another important innovation was the display of assorted local cuisines made from millet, a staple food in our community. The presentation of the New Yam to the visiting royals, as well as the fundraising initiative from the sale of New Yams to invited dignitaries, were some of the creative new additions to the 2022 Ogidi Day Festival. While there were fewer participating troupes this year compared to the previous festivals I had witnessed, the quality of their performances was much better and richer. 

For the youths and energetic adults, as well as foreign guests, Ogidi's topography provides a perfect opportunity for hiking and mountain climbing. Tayọ and Olukorede made the most of the two expeditions organised by the Ogidi Day Mountaineering Committee. There is a lot of room for improvement and the internationalisation of this event. It’s a potential money-making scheme and could be self-financing.

In my Father of the Day address, I described the New Yam Festival as a Thanksgiving Day, similar to the celebration of Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America. I emphasised the need to encourage more youths in our community to embrace new ways of farming. It was a great speech. I pray and hope that the annual efforts and gatherings for Ogidi Day will not just be a jamboree but will translate into physical and structural enhancements of our community and improvements in the lifestyle of our people. For a start, I suggest we institute a sort of farming competition among our interested farmers, including the youth, and give an award to the person with the biggest harvest. 

At the end of the ceremony, we moved to the Ayin Ọrunrọ residence of Chief Abiọdun Ẹhindẹrọ, where an elaborate reception was held for me, my family, friends, and well-wishers. It was elaborate in the sense that there was plenty of food and drinks for everyone, except that inadequate arrangements were made for lighting the venue, which meant people had to leave early. There are many lessons to be learned in terms of better coordination of the various key aspects of the organisation behind the party, as well as better communication among its organisers.

The entire programme was rounded off at 7 a.m. on Sunday, August 19th, with a thanksgiving service at St Thomas Catholic Church, Ogidi. Giving thanks to God for the successful outcome of an event as huge as the Ogidi Day Festival was the most natural thing to do.

After the thanksgiving, we moved to Kabba for a sumptuous breakfast with the Ọbaro of Kabba, HRH Solomon Dele Owoniyi. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I could not stay for the full length of the gathering, but I felt highly honoured to be one of the guests of the provincial royal father. May his reign be long and prosperous.

For me personally, in terms of the outcome of the 2022 Ogidi Day Festival, the organisers performed far beyond my expectations and successfully lived up to their catchphrase: "Ogidi Day: Bigger and Better." I can affirm that it was indeed bigger and better than the two I’ve had the privilege of attending. Ogidi, agbe gha o. Asę.

Judging by the large number of foreign guests that accompanied Chief Nikẹ Okundaye to the 2022 Ogidi Day Festival, who could brave the security challenges where our own citizens hesitated, I can say that our community is indeed going global.