Over 100 ancestral family compounds in the ancient city of Oyo have been sensitised to receive returning descendants as the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, opens ancestral homecoming for Yoruba sons and daughters worldwide.
The homecoming is part of the maiden Oyo Empire Day celebration slated for December 17 to 19, 2026, which is expected to attract over 60,000 visitors.
Chairman, Central Working Committee for Oyo Empire Day, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media chat at the Palace of the Alaafin of Oyo.
Ogunmola said the committee has already reached out to more than 100 family compounds in Oyo town ahead of the historic homecoming.
“More than 100 ancestral family compounds in the ancient city of Oyo have already been sensitised ahead of the celebration to receive returning descendants,” he said.
He added that a comprehensive map identifying all ancestral family compounds will be installed at the Palace to assist visitors in tracing and locating their family roots.
Ogunmola said Oyo Empire Day was conceived by the Alaafin as an annual international homecoming for people of Oyo ancestry to return, reconnect with families, and celebrate their heritage.
According to him, the initiative is not limited to Oyo-Atiba but extends to communities with historical links to the old Oyo Empire, including Kwara, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi, parts of the Republic of Benin and the wider diaspora.
He noted that the celebration is not intended to impose Oyo identity on any community but to recognise and celebrate historical ties with the empire.
Speaking on attendance, Ogunmola said organisers are projecting an average of 20,000 visitors per day, translating to about 60,000 visitors over the three days.
On the programme of events, he said Day One will feature a carnival procession from Owode to the Alaafin’s Palace, with displays of Gelede, Egungun, Sekere, Dundun, Bata, Ijala and horse riding, while the Alaafin will formally declare the celebration open.
He said artists will also portray the first five Alaafins, while a replica of Oyo-Ile, the historic capital of the Oyo Empire, will be displayed within the Palace complex.
The second day, according to him, will focus on history, scholarship, theatre and youth, with lectures, colloquia and a performance of Ajagunla, the historic play of the late Duro Ladipo.
The third day will feature the grand finale at the Durbar Stadium, with royal, cultural, family and community parades, as well as guided heritage excursions to Oyo-Igboho and Oyo-Ile.
Other attractions, he said, include an Amala Oyo Pavilion and visits to local Aso Ofi production sites.
“We want people to eat Oyo, wear Oyo, see Oyo, hear Oyo, learn Oyo, and experience Oyo,” Ogunmola said.
He said the long-term plan is to develop Oyo Empire Day into an annual international event capable of promoting heritage preservation, historical research, tourism and economic development, with permanent institutions such as the Museum of Yoruba Culture and Civilization and Oyo Empire Day Hall of Fame.
He announced that the celebration will hold annually on the third Thursday, Friday and Saturday of December, noting that this year’s edition will boost businesses for hotels, restaurants, transporters, artisans, farmers and entertainers.
In his remarks, Head of Department, Alaafin Institute of Yoruba Studies, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, Prof. Akin Alao, said the academic colloquium themed “Oyo Empire: Yoruba Identity, Empire and Civilisation” will examine the political organisation of the empire and its relevance to contemporary governance.
Other speakers at the chat, including Archbishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu, Youth Coordinator, Tobi Alaka, Prof. Nassar Lanrewaju and the Iyaloja of Oyo, Chief Mrs Adepeju Bakare, assured that no stone will be left unturned to ensure a successful hosting.
