So this week edition topic which is given to us to talk about is cultural festival and before going deep into the topic, there are different type of festival done in the country so going for that i will be talking about YAM FESTIVAL.
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This yam festival is always celebrated in ekiti state during june ending to july by using dog to sacrifice to ogun which is known as (god of iron), after this sacrifice have been done, they will now use new yam, which will be roasted using firewood, so after this is done they will now scratch the body due to the charcoal on the body of the yam and the yam will be taken to the ogun shrine which is god of iron, another sacrifice will be done there using the roasted yam and palmoil while they slaughter the dog to prevent the rest of the yam on the farm from rusting.
After this is done, they will bring out masquerade to be dancing throughout the town and they use palm leaf to cover all the body of the masquerade which will be done throughout the whole day which will take them throughout the month of July. So july ending, the king, the chief will now do sacrifice and bless the whole town or the village for more harvesting for the year to come.
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Pleateau state do their own November in which other citizens will come all the way from abroad to come and join the ceremony and harvesting. The plateaus like the yam festival more than any festival, all king and chief will also do the blessing for the year and the year to come.
They do one bundle of yam on fire after roasting they will scratch the body and cut it to pieces and take it to the shrine with alligator pepper which blessing will now be done.
So after this the rest of the farmer now have the privilege to go to the farm and harvest the rest of the yam because no one should go to the farm without doing the festival because the harvest will not be good so they believe after the festival, the god of harvesting have already answered their prayer.