Ooni Unveils 2026 Olojo Festival Sponsors in Grand Palace Ceremony
By: Abudu Olalekan
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has rolled out the list of sponsors backing the 2026 Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife. And going by the names on that list, this year’s edition looks set to be something big.
The unveiling happened right at the Ooni’s Palace in Ile-Ife on Thursday. It was part of the buildup to the annual cultural festival, one of the most celebrated on the Yoruba calendar. If you know Ile-Ife, you know Olojo is not just any festival. It’s tradition. It’s identity. It’s pride.
During the event, Oba Ogunwusi took a moment to appreciate the corporate sponsors who keep showing up year after year. He called them faithful brand supporters. People — and companies — who have chosen to stand tall with Yoruba cultural heritage instead of watching from the sidelines.
He thanked the old faithfuls first. The State Government. Nigerian Breweries. Seaman Schnapps. MTN. Adron Homes. Brands that have been part of the Olojo story for a while now, and haven’t backed out.
But there were new faces too. The Ooni welcomed Moniepoint and Ojaja Drinks into the fold, saying their coming on board would only add more weight to the festival’s success. Fresh energy, basically. And that never hurts.
Also speaking at the gathering was the Osun Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Ojo Bankole. His message was simple but important. He appealed to both residents and visitors to keep the peace — before, during, and after the celebration. No trouble. Just unity.
Bankole didn’t forget to praise the Ooni either. He described the monarch’s role as fatherly, especially in the way he pushes for peace and togetherness among his people. According to him, Olojo has always been, and should remain, a peaceful cultural celebration. Nothing more, nothing less.
Then came Otunba Ayo Olumoko, the Chief Festival Administrator of Olojo Festival. This man knows the terrain. He’s been part of the festival since 2016, back when the Ooni first kicked off the current phase of organising it.
Olumoko reflected a bit. He said over the years, the festival has seen real growth. Distinctive developments. Steady improvements. And through it all, the House of Oduduwa has kept driving most of the cultural programmes that make Olojo what it is today.
He also touched on the sponsorship angle. According to him, the festival keeps pulling in its long-standing corporate partners, while new organisations continue to join as supporters. That mix of old and new, he said, is part of why the event keeps getting stronger.
Now for the timeline. Olumoko explained that the corporate side of the festival will kick off on Saturday. From there, the Ooni will go into seclusion — a sacred part of the tradition — before returning to address the people of Ile-Ife and the wider Yoruba race.
That moment, when the Ooni comes back out, is one many people wait for every year. It carries deep meaning.
Before wrapping up, the Chief Festival Administrator had a word for the public. He urged everyone to come out and take part. Not just watch, but actually support the cultural and economic activities tied to the festival.
One of those he mentioned is the Adire Oduduwa textile hub. It was set up about five years ago with a clear goal — creating jobs, especially for women. So Olojo isn’t only about culture and tradition. There’s an economic side to it too. Real opportunities for real people.
And that, in a way, is the whole point. Celebrating heritage while lifting the community along with it.
The 2026 Olojo Festival promises plenty. And if the sponsor list is anything to go by, it might just be one to remember.
Olalekan A. Abudu is a seasoned and dedicated News Journalist at REPORTERS ROOM, with over eight years of experience. He specializes in politics, climate change, health, and education, while also covering security, economic, and judicial issues. Committed to accuracy and balanced reporting, Olalekan exemplifies the principles of public-interest journalism.
