Iko Festival (Gastronomic Events) Ebonyi State

This gastronomic event is a festival of reconciliations and love sharing. During this festival, families are expected to prepare a delicious meal (usually our native white soup prepared with moulded melon), such that can serve the family members, friends and well-wishers.

The aim is to afford the opportunity to the community members to eat and dine together so as to reconcile with each other and to foster a formidable love amongst us. This festival just as the Ikeji festival is also extended to the neighbour community for a stronger relationship.

This is an annual event that takes place in Afikpo, Ebonyi State from the last week of November to the second week of December. Iko Okochi is described as a friendship festival incorporating ceremonies of rites of passage. The festival begins with the Iko Onuoka “Masked Warrior Dance” and “Beauty Pageant” The greatest warrior and the most beautiful maiden are selected at the Iko Onuoka. The Festival concludes with the Iko Okochi when young men just come of age are initiated into the Ogo Age Group. This is followed by a spectacularly colorful parade of over 200 masquerades. The actual dates for these events may vary from year to year.