Kogi Community Celebrates 103 Girls in Traditional Womanhood Rite

A total of 103 young girls were ceremonially initiated into womanhood in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State during the annual Ovia Osese Festival held on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

The cultural rite, rooted in the traditions of the Ogori people, is celebrated to honour girls who have maintained chastity before marriage. It also marks their official transition from adolescence into adulthood within the community.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Aiso Gabriel Osiwomequin, National President of the Ogori Descendants Union (ODU), described the festival as “a symbol of transition, of hope, and of unity.”

“It reminds us that no matter where life takes us, the roots of Ogori run deep in our hearts. Our strength lies in our togetherness,” he said, while appreciating contributions from community members both home and abroad toward the development of Ogori.

He praised initiatives such as road construction, school support, youth mentorship, hospital funding, and cultural preservation efforts which have made the community thrive.

Also addressing attendees, Comrade Alao Micheal Oloruntoba, Chairman of the ODU’s Education and Culture Committee, emphasized the cultural significance of the festival, applauding mothers for guiding their daughters through morally upright paths.

Among the families celebrated were those of Maj. Gen. Erema Akeredola and Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, whose daughters were among those initiated.

The Ovia Osese Festival continues to serve as a platform for reinforcing the cultural values of discipline, purity, and community pride among the Ogori people.