Ikeji festival

The Ikeji festival is an annual four-day festival held by the Igbo people of Arondizuogu,[1] in Imo state, Nigeria, between the months of March and April to celebrate the harvest of new yams and the Igbo culture.

[2] The festival is marked with the display of numerous masquerades dancing around the villages, music, and practice of the Igbo traditional religion.

[3] There are two theories as to the history of the Ikeji festival, but the generally accepted theory propounded by the people of Arondizuogu claimed the first Ikeji festival took place in the 16th century[4] and its purpose then was to solely appreciate the gods of the land for providing them with a bountiful harvest of new yams.

[6] The Ikeji festival is marked by various activities; the most popular is a competition named Ito-Ebule, which translates to “Untying of the ram”.

[10] The Ikeji festival is shown in a Nigerian Nollywood movie titled Lion of Africa.