It was a display of culture and tradition for two consecutive days as sons and daughters of Isinkan in Akure south local government area of Ondo State celebrated 2022 Obarisa festival.
The festival which was heralded by ‘Opa’ ceremony saw indigenes, especially youths, singing and dancing while some physically fit men voluntarily flogged each other.
The Obarisa Festival also afforded the people of Isinkan the opportunity of a communal re-enactment of blissful experience with a joint celebration of the Supreme Deity and unequaled King of all Gods in the Isinkan spiritual cosmos.
Traders and residents took time out to thank and offer prayers to God.
Various groups including members of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Market women, youths and cultural organizations came to pay homage to Iralepo of Isinkan, Oba Oluwagbemiga Olofin Adimula Arulewolasi III.
On Friday there was a procession of people round the town with prayer offerings as they move round houses of Princes, Princesses and High chiefs throughout the night.
Addressing the elated indigenes Oba Adimula said Obarisa festival does not involve rituals or making of sacrifices unto any idol. The king explained that it is in fact a taboo in Isinkan to offer more than ‘ipe’ or prayers during the festival.
He promised to launch the Ọbariṣa Festival to the global scene to attract local and international tourists for the development of Isikan.
Oba Arulewolasi explained that the Obarisa Festival is a thanksgiving fete and is designed to commemorate the successful splashdown of Obara and his female companion, Yeye Oshorun, at the founding of Isikan land.
While saying the festival was designed to celebrate the might and awesomeness of the almighty God, the monarch said the annual commemoration of the festival is to rekindle the Spirit of worshipping God whom the traditional ruler said they reference every year for his mightiness.
The monarch tasked sons and daughters of the community to unite and see the development of Isikan as a collective responsibility.
