ADO-EKITI is an ancient city, founded in the year
1310. A.D by His Royal Majesty the Ewi Awamaro
the son of Ewi Apa (Biritikolu) after the defeat of
King Elesun of Ilesun or Emure Kingdom and the
destruction of his Empire.
Ewi was not only a King , he was also supreme
military Chief -General of his army and when his
kingdom became extremely larger than the
Original settlement in Osunle Odo (Odo-Ado), and
moved to Oke-Ibon where he settled and founded
Oke-Ewi the Ado mother town, the administrative
and cultural demands of his office as a paramount
ruler did not allow him to go on military
expedition any longer.
Therefore he delegated his military position to his
military second in command they were
IIJC3Rlords who later became the traditional war
Chiefs headed by Chief Barafon. It was the duty of
each war chiefs to report his military
achievements to the EWI.
The arrival of each successful war-chief was
embraced with joy and various traditional songs.
The people of Ado-Ekiti would assemble under
IROKO TREE in front of Ewi’s Palace to welcome
the military chiefs and rejoice with Ewi. At a point
in time. EWI decided to be meeting all his war
chiefs once in a year on a specific day for such
post-war reports. Ewi picked ” OLORUN B’ORUN
DAY the day that was initially specified for all
Indigenes of Ado-Ewi to make offering of Kolanut
and Walnuts in propitiation to their heads (ORI)
known as OLORUN-BORUN for that purpose.
On the
day of
Olorunborun, prayers were said in every home in
the town, and in the evening same day, the
entire Ado community would assemble in Ewi’s
Palace to receive Ewi’s Blessing as it was believed
that Only Ewi have the power to make prayers
accepted quickly by the Heavens. The
assemblage of people under Iroko tree in Ewi’s
palace on Olorunborun Day for the ceremony later
became ” ODUN UDIROKO”. UDIROKO festival the
Ado- Ekiti’s most important feast was desighted
to feature both the NATION DAY and the NEW
YEAR DAY in the defunct Ado Kingdom.
The Ewi is the principal celebrant while the War
Chiefs (Elegbes) and others participate. Udiroko
festival is usually an occasion of Happiness and
merriment in Ado kingdom. The people generally
rejoice that another milestone is covered or
reached in their life’s journey: they have safely
scaled the past year over to the new year.
No deity is worshiped in Udiroko and no ceremony
is performed. It is a RITUAL FREE FESTIVAL .
Udiroko festival attracts a great number of people
and spectators from far and near, even in the
past to see or know the EWI who is in all things
supreme and divine and is rarely seen in public.
He entirely lives in ceremonial seclusion in his
palace subject to many rituals and would appear
to the people of his kingdom on the Udiroko day.
” TRADITIONS DIE HARD UDIROKO is still a crowd-
pulling festivity in Africa.
EWI’ BE MI UA UDIROKO ELEITAJI ‘BE MI ESUN-SU
OKO EWI ME YOO JUDI AJARO-RAN OWA TAJI ME
YOO M’OWO JONA ORI ‘KOSE K’OLOJA MEJI
MAJISE AJAKA OMO ARERE-OTU
TRANSLATION: EWI requests my participation in
his Udiroko festival Eleitaji requests my
participation in his Esun-su Oko festival Ewi, I
cannot participate in Esunsu-Oko festival Two
Ruler’s requests should not be rejected out-right I
will comply with that of AJAKA omo- Arere-Otu.
Surf ice it here to say that the above poem brings
into mind the historical importance of the Ewi and
his Udiroko festival. To usher in the festival. The
celebration begins early in the morning with
booming of guns in all parts of the city and which
adds splendor and grandeur to the festival.
The WAR Chiefs (Elegbes) entertains the people in
their respective communities with food, drinks
and Walnut and Kolanuts which are generally
served to people. The war Chiefs (Elegbes) with
their hunters in their domain converge with
dance at the war Chiefs leader, Barafon’s lodge
(Akodi) to have their prayers for Ado-Ekiti and
Barafon will entertain them after they dance from
there to the EWI’S Palace the Venue of the
Celebration drumming and singing WAR SONGS
like: OMO AROGUN S’ULE O (2ce) UROO DE..
OMO AROGUN SOYIN SEE OMO AROGUN SULE
(2ce) UROO DE OMO AROGUN SOYIN SEE Chief
Barafon the head of the wars Chiefs comes last
dancing to bata drum with the following WAR
SONGS. Solo: BAFON PARA KOGUN OP’ IKOGOSI
KOGBON OP’ IKOGOSI TAN, O K’ AGOGO OJE. ‘BE
WALE BAFON N’GOKE ALO IRUNMUNDUN NKUN
YUNMUN-YUNMU Chorus: BABA O MOJA, O MOJA
K’ARIJE NIBE BABA O MOJA Solo: AMUGBEYIN
OBUNTUN RE NRAUN SORO O RAO BAFON URO
IKUN B’IJE AIYE, KUN TUN B’IJE ARORUN Chr:
BABA O MOJA KARIJE NIBE BABA O MOJA Solo :
OGUN LE BARAFON O SOMO EWI NU AN RORI
AKIN RA L’OJA OMO EWI ILORI ATE Chr: BABA O
MOJA, O MOJA KAA RIJE NIBE BABA MOJA
The principal celebrant is High Royal Majesty EWI
with his following war Chiefs (Elegbes)-
Participating:- ELEGBE WAR CHIEFS OF OKE-EWI;
• Barafon • Eleyinmi •Onigemo •Onikasomi
•Olujoja •Akogun •Onigbepa •Olugbalesun – Oke-
Ewi •Elesha •Osukoti •Ojomu •Oniloda • Osunmo
– irona •Saruku – irona •Obanla – irona •
Osindinle – Oke-Age • Egbedi – Orere Owu •Imi –
irona • Orunnaja – Okesa •Elejofi – Okesa ELEGBE
WAR CHIEFS OF ODO-ADO; Egbedi – Odo-Ado
Elewere Oisape Oluloda Odo-Ado Saruku Oisangan
Elejoka Elejua Elegbira Omoniare Saruku- Irode
Saruku- Isao ELEGBE WAR CHIEFS OF OGBON
META (OKE ILA); * Saruku -Ila * Olonje * Emila *
Olubedo – ila * Oisape Udiroko festival of Ewi- Ado
is a big parade of fashions in which new and
modern clothes, ornaments and jewels are
brought into display.
His Royal Majesty the Ewi rises three times to
change his royal regalia robes and crowns while a
MINIATURE EXHIBITION of ancient and modern
crowns is mounted for the people to see.
Traditional greetings and renewal of Oaths of
Allegiance:- Oke- Ewi Chiefs: Olori marun (Oke-Ewi
king makers) led by Chief Odogun salute His Royal
Majesty the Ewi in the traditional way (shouting
Ogo-Iyin three times) Chief Ologunsinkin leads the
Elumo Chiefs (Elesi and Ijegbe) of Oke-Ewi to
salute the Ewi also in the Traditional way
( shouting Ogo-Iyin three times)
ODO-ADO Chiefs : iare Merin led by Chief Odofin
will also salute the Ewi-Ado ( shouting Ogo-Iyin
three times)
Ogbon Meta (Oke-Ila) Olori Ogbon meta chiefs led
by Alarierin salute His Royal Highness the Ewi in
their own traditional way. ( shouting Ogo-Iyin
three times)
Chief Balemo leads the ELU Chiefs to greet Ewi in
their traditional way.( shouting Ogo-Iyin three
times)
The Ewi Consorts- Eyesorun leads the Oloris to
pay their homage to the Ewi With the ancient
drums which is only seen during the Udiroko
festival
The Elegbe (War Chiefs) dance in turns before His
Royal Majesty the Ewi to renew their OATHS of
allegiance and loyalty to him. ( shouting Ogo-Iyin
three times)
Chief Barafon the head of War chiefs dance last in
different actions like chasing people with his war
sword and war staff and renew his Oath of
allegiance and loyalty to His Majesty.
(shouting Ogo-Iyin three times)
Thereafter all Titular and Untitled Princes,
distinguished sons and daughters in general
salute the Kabiyesi in the traditional way shouting
Kabiyesi Ooo” Elemupe Ekiti and other
intermittent praises on the EWI.
The EWI would, in his speech on the throne, give
general report of his Kingdom for the out-going
year and resolution and advice for the New Year
that is pregnated with certainties and
uncertainties and bless every Ado-Ekiti indigenes
(INU ODI) neighboring town (EYIN ODI) and Ekiti
in general.
Udiroko festival is usually celebrated between the
middle August and first week of September of
every year. Udiroko the biggest among Other
festivals in Ekiti is a traditional culture depicting
the socio-religious aspect of the people’s way of
life.

Happy celebration

Interesting...