Need A Wife?: 103 Virgin Girls Celebrate Womanhood at Cultural Festival in Kogi State

By Dansu Peter  In a vibrant display of culture and tradition, 103 virgin girls from the Ogori community in Kogi State were formally initia...

By Dansu Peter 

In a vibrant display of culture and tradition, 103 virgin girls from the Ogori community in Kogi State were formally initiated into womanhood during the annual Ovia Osese Festival held on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

The festival, observed in Ogori-Mangogo Local Government Area, is a revered rite of passage for young girls who have preserved their chastity in accordance with the customs of the Ogori people. It also serves as a platform to celebrate the moral discipline, cultural values, and readiness of these girls for adulthood and eventual marriage.

Delivering his keynote address at the event, the National President of the Ogori Descendants Union (ODU), Dr. Aiso Gabriel Osiwomequin, described the festival as more than a cultural gathering, but rather “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,” he said. “Our greatest strength lies in our togetherness.”

Dr. Osiwomequin further expressed appreciation to all indigenes and supporters of Ogori, both at home and in the diaspora, who have contributed to the community’s development in diverse ways — from infrastructure and education to healthcare, cultural preservation, and youth empowerment.

Also speaking at the festival, the Chairman of the ODU Education and Culture Committee, Comrade Alao Micheal Oloruntoba, hailed the efforts of mothers in upholding the community’s moral values.

“I salute all the mothers here because it is not a mean task policing daughters—especially in this modern era—to live responsible, morally upright lives in readiness for marriage,” she noted.

Some of the families whose daughters participated in the initiation include high-profile personalities such as Maj. Gen. Erema Akeredola, whose daughter Isovie Akeredola was among the initiates, and Professor Olugbemiro Jegede, the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the National Open University, whose daughters including Tosiron Jegede also took part.

The Ovia Osese Festival continues to serve as a proud cultural heritage of the Ogori people, promoting discipline, virtue, and community pride through generations.