By Jenrade Kaseem
Indigenes of Ibise Otu in Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State have been charged to make the promotion and preservation of their culture and tradition a paramount agenda as they celebrate 2024 new yam festival.

While describing the new yam festival as a major heritage in the town, the Onibise of Otu, His Majesty, Oba Abiodun Oyerinde Owolabi Oyekuleyin 1st regretted the recent demise of a prominent son of the town, late chief Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu.
The monarch said although the town is still mourning late Isaac Omodewu an illustrious son of the town, they still needed to honour the legacy of their ancestors through new yam festival.
At the remarkable festival,Onibise and his chiefs danced to the tune of Bata and Sekere at the market square where the sacrifice of yam was made along with other necessary rites with the use of kolanut ,water, palm oil, and sugar to appease their ancestors.
The monarch,Oba Oyerinde Owolabi, while speaking on the significance of the celebration and the symbolic interaction between the people of Ibise Otu and the celebration of yam, noted that it is forbidden for the Onibise as number one citizen of the town to taste new yam until the period of new yam festival called Oba nlu.
Oba Oyerinde said the three sacred spots he visited in the course of celebration were very significant, saying the first point of call was Obedu which serves as the origin of Otu as far back as 1857 followed by Idi ara that belongs to Ooto or Otito clan to the last one called Oba nlu meaning king in his domain, where special prayers were offered by Iya Oosa for the monarch.
Oba Onibise of Otu also used the occasion to pay tribute to the departed soul of late chief Isaac Ajiboye Omodewu and described his death as collosal loss to the town, urging the people of Ibise Otu to take solace in God.
According to the monarch,death is inevitable as God the ultimate Being is unquestionable.
Oba Oyerinde while fielding questions from newsmen,admonished government at all levels to lure investors into the ancient town to tap from both human and natural resources that are abound in the town.
While expressing his unwaivering commitment to market Ibise culture and tradition through his influence and connections to the outside world, the monarch admonished Ibise indigenes home and abroad to contribute their quota to the overall development of the ancient town.
The 2024 new yam festival in Ibise Otu featured Olokaka of Okaka His Majesty Oba Abdul azeez Olatunji Ayoola Ogelende the fourth Gbadewolu the first and the Oluigbo of Igbojaye His Majesty Oba Zachieus Obadimeji Gbadewolu as part of the prominent guests who graced the occasion.