ODO-APE 2026: COMMUNITY MARKS ANNUAL DAY FESTIVAL WITH CALL FOR UNITY, DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY
The Odo-Ape community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area came alive on Saturday as indigenes at home and abroad gathered for the 2026 Annual Day Festival, a celebration themed “A Celebration of Heritage and Progress.” The event drew a mix of traditional rulers, political leaders, and community members, alongside Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade, Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, who represented Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. In his welcome address, Mr. Jethro Kehinde Ologbonyo, National President of the Odo-Ape Development Association, described the day as both a cultural showcase and a fundraising platform for community development. He highlighted the community’s rich heritage, pointing to traditions such as the Egungun festival, the Amoja song, the Egunda festival, and the traditional marriage system. Ologbonyo stressed the need to safeguard institutions like Iyeolofosi and Iyeolughonle, which he said embody Odo-Ape’s core values of u...