Igede Traditional Council Set to Celebrate Annual New Yam Festival in Ibadan

IBADAN, OYO STATE — The Igede Traditional Council, Oyo State, under the Office of Adirahu Ny’Igede 1 of Oyo State, has announced its Annual New Yam Festival, scheduled to take place in September 2026 in Ibadan, bringing together members of the Igede community, cultural enthusiasts, traditional leaders, community stakeholders and distinguished guests.

Held under the council’s motto, “Unity & Progress,” the celebration is expected to provide an opportunity for the Igede people in Oyo State to reconnect with their cultural heritage while promoting fellowship, peace, unity and community solidarity.

The New Yam Festival is deeply rooted in Igede cultural life. The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) identifies Igede Agba as a significant annual festival of the Igede people, particularly those in Oju and Obi Local Government Areas of Benue State. Traditionally held in September, the festival is associated with thanksgiving for a successful harvest and the celebration of yam as an important agricultural and cultural symbol.

For generations, the festival has represented more than the consumption of newly harvested yam. It marks an important point in the agricultural calendar, bringing families and communities together through food, music, traditional dances, cultural displays and communal celebrations. According to NICO, the occasion also serves as a means of preserving and promoting Igede cultural heritage and strengthening unity among the people.

Yam occupies a particularly important place in Igede society, where farming has historically been central to community life and livelihoods. Cultural accounts of Igede Agba describe the festival as a period of thanksgiving, hospitality, reunion and renewal, with families and visitors sharing food and celebrating the conclusion of the farming cycle.

The Ibadan celebration therefore provides an opportunity for Igede sons and daughters living in Oyo State to sustain this heritage within an urban environment while creating a welcoming platform for friends, neighbours and members of the wider public to experience and appreciate Igede culture.

The Igede Traditional Council, Oyo State, cordially invites the public to participate in the celebration and join the community in commemorating its heritage, agricultural traditions and enduring values of unity and progress.

EVENT DETAILS

Event: Annual New Yam Festival

Date: September 2026

Time: 12:00 Noon

Venue: No. 36B Quarters Unity 1, Ayegun, Oke Odon, Apete, Ibadan, Oyo State

R.S.V.P. & CONTACT INFORMATION

For inquiries, attendance confirmation or media requests, interested persons may contact:

HRM Adirahu Onda Monday Eyi Ad’Igede 1 of Oyo State

Chairman, Igede South West Traditional Council

📞 08058730803

Chief James Ajah

President, Om’Igede of Oyo State

📞 07035087079

The council says the celebration is anchored on the enduring principles of unity, cultural preservation, peaceful coexistence and progress, as the Igede community continues to preserve its identity and traditions while strengthening its presence and connections in Oyo State.

The September gathering is consequently expected to be both a cultural celebration and a communal meeting point—bringing together tradition, hospitality and the shared aspirations of the Igede people under the banner of “Unity & Progress.”