A total of 103 virgin girls from the Ogori community have been initiated into womanhood during the Ovia Osese Festival, held in the Ogori-Mangogo Local Government area of Kogi State.
The festival took place on Saturday, May 3, 2025 and is celebrated annually by the people of the Ogori community. It showcases the discipline and reserved nature of the girls before they enter marriage.
The National President of Ogori Descendent Union (ODU), Dr. Aiso Gabriel Osiwomequin in his speech said Ovia Osese is more than a cultural festival, it is a symbol of transition, of hope, of community.
“It reminds us that no matter where life takes us, the roots of Ogori run deep in our hearts. It reminds us that our greatest strength lies in our togetherness,” he said.
“In this spirit of unity, I stand before you with profound gratitude. I salute every son and daughter of Ogori at home and in the diaspora either by birth or by association who has contributed, in big and small ways, to the growth and development of our land.
“Whether by construction of roads, building of classrooms in CCHSO, supporting the hospital, starting up a cooperative, nurturing of our youth, preservation of our culture, and promotion of peace, your efforts have made Ogori a proud and thriving community.
“To our elders who have passed down wisdom and values, To our leaders who have championed progress, To our youth who carry the future with passion and pride, To our women whose strength and resilience fortify every home, And to every friend and partner who has stood with us.”
Also speaking, the Chairman, ODU, Education and Culture Committee, Comr. Alao Micheal Oloruntoba said the festival is a celebration of womanhood, defined by cultural norms of the Ogori Community.
“I salute all the mothers here because it is not a mean task policing daughters, especially the new era daughters, to live a responsible morally clean life in readiness for marriage life,” she stated.
Among the family whose virgin daughters were initiated includes Isovie Akeredola the daughter of Maj. Gen. Erema Akeredola, Omolola Blessing Osheidu the daughter of Professor Olugbemiro Akeredola and also Tosiron Jegede and five other daughters of Professor Olugbemiro Jegede the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Open University.
