EVENTS
Ugwu Abia Festival
The Ugwu Abia festival in Abia State is a popular event for citizens from all local government areas, who send delegations to the festival. Ugwu Abia, which translates as "pride of Abia."
Each group focuses on the many cultural traditions of the region they represent.
The Ugwu Abia cultural festival is the first of its kind in Nigeria.
The Iwaji Festival (New Yam Festival)
One of the most popular holidays in Igboland is the celebration of the new yam every year.
It is generally celebrated at the grassroots or mid-level, and a lot of planning and spectacle accompanies it.
The Iwaji festival takes place in early August, right after harvest and near the end of the rainy season.
The first yams are cooked in celebration and thanksgiving to the deities of the land for a bountiful crop.
Adammwa State
The Vunon Festival dates back three centuries. Bachama, Batta, and Mbula enjoy the first rain. The three-day cultural/religious celebration commemorates Nzeanzo's mother, Vunon, whose home is a shrine in the spirited groove near Farai.
Wrestling and spirit groove dance start the day (Wodi Khake). A procession from the spirited groove to a Farai celebration venue follows. Women in traditional garb do a stunning dance here (Bwe Pule).
Wrestling and dancing are marketed alongside pots, calabashes, wooden spoons, hoes, and others. Guests purchase food and drinks in a picnic setting.
The annual Farai cultural/religious festival. Bachama people celebrate demigods who were formerly humans.
Njuwa Fishing Festival
The Buatiye (Bata) of Rugange, Njoboliyo, Dasin, Dulo, Bagale, Dagri, and Vunoklan villages of Adamawa Emirate celebrate Njuwa, a fishing festival. The celebration generally occurs when the lake water level drops.
Sukur Festival
During the Sukur Kingdom event in Madagali, Adamawa State, young men are initiated into adulthood. Despite current ideals and religion, each edition grows stronger.
"The initiation prepares youths for adulthood, so every male child becomes eligible as he approaches adulthood." You cannot work after initiation. Chicken and other body-building foods will be offered during the ceremony.
Anambra State
There are many cultures, traditions, and celebrations in Anambra State, but some are popular than others below are the list of festivals.
Ofola Festival
The Onitsha kingdom has celebrated the Ofala festival for centuries. October's Ofala marks the new yam's celebration climax.
Igu Aro Festival
Every year in Enugu-Ukwu, a festival called the Igu Aro festival is held to mark the start of the planting season.
Afiaolu Nnewi Festival
The Afiaolu Festival, also known as the New Yam Festival, is a yearly event in Nnewi around August. On the day known as "Eke," the Afiaolu celebration will officially begin with the traditional ceremonies known as "iwaji" and "ikpa nku."
Aguleri Ovala Festival
The Ovala Festival is a royal celebration in Aguleri on the first day of the year when the Eke market is held.
Akwa Ibom
Akwa Ibom is home to a wide range of traditions and celebrations that honour the state's rich cultural history.
Usoro Ekpo
Ekpo is the spirit or ghost of an ancestor who comes back as a mask to participate in community events like farming and rites of passage.
Ekpo is a secret organisation; thus, everything about it is meant to intimidate women and non-initiates.
Ekpo ruled Akwa Ibom pre-colonially, fulfilling judicial, administrative, and religious tasks.
Atakpo Festival
This celebration takes place once a year and includes ritual acts of worship in honour of the Uruan clan god. Most of the time, it takes place in August and September, with parties and mask exhibitions.
Ekong Festival
A carnival-like celebration that features the wearing of colourful masks throughout the event. Its purpose is to restore harmony, love, and order and publicly shame those who have broken the rules. The celebration lasts from the middle of June through the end of September.
Mbre Mmong Festival
This event is held in Nsit Ubium and occurs twice a year, once in the middle of January and once in the middle of March. It is tied to a fertility cult as well as ancestral worship. A boat race will be held in conjunction with the festivities.
Calabar Carnival
The Calabar Carnival is an annual festival in Cross River State, Nigeria. It is often referred to as "Africa's Biggest Street Party" and "the Pride of Nigeria." Each December, the carnival takes place in the streets of Calabar, Cross River State.
Boat Regatta Festival
The boat race takes place at high tide. In May and June, the brightly decorated boats floating on rivers full to the brim are beautiful.
This annual boat regatta commemorates the Efik tribe's past tribal battle victories. Ceremonial and competitive regattas exist presently.
Efik and Qua villages converge for fun at the Competitive Regatta. In addition, a new king's coronation includes a ceremonial regatta (Obong).
Aji Festival
The Itigidi people of Abi Local Government Area commemorate this yearly Agbo celebration. The celebration is religious and social. The event honours ancestors and prays for another fruitful year, good health, and wealth.
Leboku New Yam Festival
The Leboku New Yam Festival is celebrated in August to celebrate the end of the farming season. The celebrations are at Ugep, Yukurr LGA. The events include wrestling contests, parades, traditional dances, and masquerades.The elusive Etangala masquerade appears during the new yam festivities.
Zaar Festival
The Zaar cultural festival, called Lemb Zaar, is one of the Unique Cultural Festivals celebrated in north-eastern Nigeria, which has diverse ethnic groups from two local governments. Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa in Bauchi State share common borders with Plateau State.
Lake Efi Fishing Festival
Every year, Efi Lake has a significant event. It's a homecoming for the town's kids, who thank the river goddess for a healthy fish harvest. On September's first Saturday, the event is held. Canoe races, boat races, and fishing competitions are held during this festival, which occurs on average every seven years but is subject to the high priest's declaration. In addition, attendees may buy lake-caught fish at discounted prices during the event.
Durbar Festival
Bauchi's primary celebration is the Durbar. It begins at the Eid prayer field and ends at the traditional monarch's palace, where horse racing and other celebrations occur.
Ige-Agba New yam Festival (Benue State)
The Igede people are from Oju, Obi, and parts of Gwer Local Government Areas in Benue and Cross River States in Nigeria.
Igede Agba (New Yam Festival) is a yearly cultural event celebrated by the Igede people at home and in the Diaspora. It is an annual celebration on the first Ihigile market day in September. September is her seventh "moon," a significant number in the Igede calendar. Igede Agba's activities include eating pounded yam, listening to traditional music, dancing, and other cultural exhibitions.
Ghigho Aghofen (Warri, Delta State)
Ghigho Aghofen, which means "Palace Watch," is a ceremony that ushers in one of the indigenous Itsekiri communities to keep watch over the Warri Kingdom. It was initiated by the king in 2021, shortly after he ascended the throne.
The aim is to promote a relationship between the king and his subject communities that could not access the palace for one reason or another. The event is held at the palace of the Olu of Warri, in the Warri South local government area of Delta State.
Awankere Festival (Warri, Delta State)
The Awankere festival, also known as the Okere Juju festival, has been held since the 15th century. The Awan'kere Event, also known as the Okere Festival, is a yearly festival held by the Itsekiri people of Okere in Delta State's Warri South Local Government Area.
This celebration, held in July, has become one of the Itsekiri people's main celebrations. The event includes music, singing, and dancing. During the festival, people pray to God and make offerings for a successful crop and a stable Niger River. The first half of the celebration is ceremonial and closed to the public, while the second part is a big gathering with masks on.
Olu of Warri Coronation (Warri, Delta State)
The coronation celebration takes place every year in August to commemorate the king's coronation. The week-long ceremony is always filled with activities.
Igue Festival (Benin City, Edo State)
Igue Festival (also known as King's Festival) is a Nigerian festivity that originated in the Benin Kingdom of Edo State. According to one legend, the festival date corresponded with Ewuare's marriage to Ewere. The event, which takes place between Christmas and New Year's, comprises the Oba's blessing of the country and his people. During the Igue ceremonial season, the Oba is not permitted to be in the company of any non-native person.
The festival traditionally begins with the anointing of the Oba's head with chalk to represent cleanliness and the blood of the sacrifice animals, which are usually slain during the festival.
Chiefs typically pay honour to the Oba. After the Oba has performed his Igue, members of the royal family perform their own on the third day, and the Edos celebrate their Igue three days later.
Ohonomoimen Festival of Iuleha
Ohonmoimen in the local language means "it is all well for me." The Ohonmoimen festival, as the name suggests, is held annually between January and March by the Iuleha clan in Owan to mark the end of one fruitful year and the beginning of another.
Durbar Festival (Kano, Katsina, Sokoto)
Durbar is an annual cultural, religious, and equestrian event held in various northern Nigerian cities, including Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zazzau, Bauchi, Bida, and Ilorin. The event commemorates the conclusion of Ramadan and coincides with the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitri.
It starts with dawn prayers, then a colourful mounted procession of the Emir and his retinue of cavalry riders, musicians, and artillerymen. Noblemen go to pay tribute to the Emir and pledge their devotion to their emirates at the Durbar feasts.
The celebration dates to the 14th century in Kano, Nigeria's biggest metropolis. Kano Durbar is a four-day celebration of opulence, horsemanship, and street parades.
This is a spectacular exhibition of horses ridden by colourfully costumed cavaliers who pay customary tribute to the Emir in honour of Sallah. It is held in some of these Northern Nigerian states such as Katsina, Kaduna, and Kano.
Imo Awka Festival
One of the most important cultural celebrations in Anambra State and Nigeria is Imoka (also known as Imo Awka). The month of May or June is traditionally reserved for the celebration of the Imoka festival.
Eyo Festival (Lagos State)
The word "Eyo" also refers to the costumed dancers known as masquerades who perform at the event. The origins of this observance may be traced back to the inner workings of Lagos' hidden organisations. The Eyo celebration was once celebrated to escort the spirit of a deceased Lagos traditional Ruler or Chief and to bring in a new king. Eyo is a yearly event held in Lagos State.
Osun Osogbo Festival (Osun State)
The Osun-Osgobo festival, which takes place every year in Osogbo, Nigeria, honours the fertility goddess Osun. The celebration renews the relationship between humanity and the divine: Osun bestows blessings on the community in exchange for the community's promise to honour her Sacred Grove. This event is part of a rich indigenous Yoruba religious tradition that started in West Africa and has grown to become one of the world's ten greatest religions, with over 100 million followers.
Argungu Fishing Festival (Kebbi State)
Argungu town is in Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Argungu Emirates and the site of Africa's largest fishing festival.
For the inhabitants of Kebbi State, the Argungu fishing festival is a way of life. The event strives to maintain an age-old local custom. The four-day celebration, which takes place between late February and early March, includes kabanci - a series of water activities such as hand fishing, canoe racing, and wild duck capturing - as well as other traditional disciplines such as wrestling and boxing. Men and boys compete in the events, while women cheer them on by performing songs and dances.
Ige-Agba New yam Festival (Benue State)
The Igede people are from Oju, Obi, and parts of Gwer Local Government Areas in Benue and Cross River States in Nigeria.
Igede Agba (New Yam Festival) is a yearly cultural event celebrated by the Igede people at home and in the Diaspora. It is an annual celebration on the first Ihigile market day in September. September is her seventh "moon," a significant number in the Igede calendar. Igede Agba's activities include eating pounded yam, listening to traditional music, dancing, and other cultural exhibitions.
Odo Festival (Enugu State)
The Odo festival is celebrated every two years. ODO was originally from Enugu State before being adopted by Ngwo.
The festivities begin in December and go until March. When the celebration begins, there is usually delight and happiness throughout the whole village of Ngwo, with people singing the lovely melodies of ODO in every part of the village with gongs or drums. This is done for several days, especially at night.
Ovie Orese Festival (Kogi State)
The Ogori people celebrate the Ovia-Osese Festival every year. This town is located in Kogi state, Nigeria, in the Ogori-Magongo local government area. They share borders with Edo and the Yorubas. The Ovia-Osese festival is held yearly in the town to introduce young girls aged 15 and above into womanhood. This initiation is performed for young females who have preserved and kept themselves virgin over the years. The rite is performed to promote purity, sanctity, abstinence, and the physical and mental well-being of adolescent females. This ceremony urges young females to avoid pre-marital affairs.
Olojo/Ibogun Festival (Ile Ife, Osun Sate)
Olojo Festival is an annual cultural festival held in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, in the ancient Yoruba city of Ile-Ife.
It commemorates "Ojo ti Ojo di jo," which means "the day of the first dawn," which is said to have occurred in the ancient city. It is also a festival honouring Ogun, the deity of iron.
This is the most important festival in Ile-cultural Ife's calendar. According to Yoruba mythology, the Olojo (controller of time and death) festival commemorates Ogun, the deity of iron, which is considered the first son of Oduduwa and the creator of the universe. The celebration is held every October and includes multiple intricate ceremonial prayers led by the Oni of Ife. The festival is held for four days.
Igbogo Festival (Owo Ondo State)
The Igogo festival is a Yoruba celebration in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. It is conducted in September to commemorate Queen Oronsen, a fabled wife of Rerengejen. During the event, the current Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, and the high chiefs of Owo Kingdom dress in women's attire, complete with coral beads, beaded dresses, and plaited hair. During the celebration, wearing headgear and hats, as well as drumming and shooting weapons, is prohibited. This is an annual celebration in Owo, Ondo State every September.
