AFOTAMODI FESTIVAL CELEBRATION AT 56

COUNTDOWN TO AFOTAMODI DAY 2025

Let's talk about it…

Topic of Discussion: 

THE REASON WHY SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ISARA ARE HAILED AS OMO AFOTAMODI AND HOW THE FESTIVAL STARTED 56 YEARS AGO.

Lanre Fidelity

6th November, 2025. 

Isara Remo is an ancient town in Remoland, founded by Prince Adeyemo Ode-Omo-Ooni, an Ife prince descended from Ooni Osinkanlu. Prince Adeyemo was a fearless hunter whose exploits in the 15th century echoed across the nooks and crannies of Yorubaland.

It is from this heroic legacy that the sons and daughters of Isara are proudly hailed with the cognomen:

“Omo Afotamodi.”

As proud children of the soil, we feel deeply honoured whenever we are greeted as:

“Omo Afotamodi k’ogun ma wọlu” meaning “Children of Afotamodi, whose fortifications are rich in ammunition, may war never penetrate our land.”

The Origin of Afotamodi

In those days, wars were a constant reality worldwide. Africa was not exempt, and in Yorubaland, inter-ethnic wars were frequent.

Prince Adeyemo, founder of Isara, became concerned about how to protect his settlement from impending wars. Going by tradition, he consulted the Ifa oracle, which was revered by our forefathers as the ultimate diviner and guide.

The oracle instructed him to build a strong fence of ammunition and fortifications around Isara. With the help of the people, this task was successfully carried out.

The result was extraordinary: no war ever broke out in Isara, nor did any invading forces breach its borders. Instead, Isara became a place of refuge. Communities fleeing war from near and far in Yorubaland found safety in Isara. Some of these settlers remain to this day, and their descendants form part of the Remo towns originally 33 in number, now expanded to about 47 through growth and civilisation.

Thus, the cognomen “Omo Afotamodi k’ogun ma wọlu” became a proud identity passed down from generation to generation.

The Birth of the Afotamodi Festival

The Afotamodi Festival is the brainchild of the Isara Progressive Union (Egbe Itesiwaju Ilu Isara  IPU), an association with branches both in Isara and in major Nigerian cities, founded for the growth and development of the town.

Among IPU’s landmark achievements are:

- The tarring of township roads, the first of its kind in Remoland.

- The construction of Hospital Road, a post office, and a modern secondary school.

- Organising the first-ever Isara Development Fund-Raising Rally on Christmas Day, December 25, 1969, at Oke-Oja (Market Square), Isara chaired by Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Late Chief Henry Fajemirokun as the Chief Launcher.

- That rally marked the beginning of the Afotamodi Festival. Today’s celebration is the 56th edition, commemorating decades of unity, sacrifice, and development.

Purpose and Significance

The Afotamodi Festival was founded on the values of love, unity, and oneness, with the vision to:

Bring together sons and daughters of Isara, both at home and abroad.

Drive socio-economic and socio-cultural development of the community.

Foster unity, pride, and progress among all indigenes.

Before the festival began, most of our forefathers were farmers, spending long periods on their farms and returning home only occasionally for age-grade meetings like Igbara Nla and Igbara Kekere.

At the same time, elites who lived in cities such as Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, and Jos often stayed away from Isara. Though the town was once the sixth largest in Ogun State, it risked stagnation as many indigenes built homes elsewhere, keeping only symbolic houses in Isara.

This situation prompted the leaders of the IPU to initiate a unifying festival that would bring everyone together under one purpose: the upliftment and development of Isara Remo.

They chose the ancient cognomen “Afotamodi” as the name of this festival, symbolising resilience, foresight, and collective strength.

Timing of the Festival

The IPU originally scheduled the festival to align with the harvest season in October. To maximise participation, it was later fixed to coincide with Nigeria’s National Holiday, making the first week of October the ideal and most convenient time for celebration. However, this has been changed to the second Saturday in November of every year. This year's own us holding in two days on Saturday. 8th November, 2025.

A Festival for All

The Afotamodi Festival is all-inclusive, involving:

>Sons and daughters of Isara, home and abroad

>Age-grade groups

>Trade associations

>Farmers

>The Igede community in Isara

>The Hausa community in Isara

>And every resident who calls Isara home

It is a celebration of unity, progress, and shared destiny.

Building on Our Legacy

If our leaders in 1969 could, through unity and determination, initiate projects like roads, schools, and healthcare facilities, then we too can achieve even greater things today.

Over the years the funds raised at this festival have facilitated the construction of several social infrastructural facilities such as The Townhall, The Palace, Divisional Police Station, Isara Secondary School, Police Motor Traffic Division, D.P.O. and Magisterate Quarters, Public Health Centres, etc.

May God bless our efforts.

May the labour of our forebears never be in vain.

Happy 56th Afotamodi Festival to all the sons and daughters of Isara Remo, 

Aseyi S’amodun,

Isara a ma tesiwaju

Awonnti was lajo a ko ere okere Bo wasile 

Won ni t’ajo gbe s’ajo

Osi Isara a gbe dede Eni ❤️✅🙏