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3 Spectacular Festivals In Nigeria To Experience During Eid (Sallah) 2026

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Across the country, cities and towns erupt into colourful celebrations filled with hypnotic music, royal horse riding, high-fashion statements, and rich culinary displays.

For travellers and locals alike, the Sallah season offers the ultimate window to experience Nigerian culture at its peak.

From the majestic, centuries-old Durbars of the North to the colourful, equestrian display of Ojude Oba, here are the absolute best events to attend during Eid in Nigeria.

The Durbar Festival is arguably the grandest cultural attraction during Eid in Nigeria. This centuries-old tradition takes place across major ancient emirates following both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

The Famous Kano Durbar (Day 2 of Eid)

The Kano Durbar is the undisputed heavyweight of Northern Nigerian tourism. Thousands of royal horsemen parade through the ancient city clad in magnificent regalia.

Led by the Emir of Kano, the procession features traditional musicians, acrobats, and praise singers. The horses themselves are an art piece, decorated with expensive, colourful textiles and silver ornament.

Katsina, Zaria, and Bauchi Durbars (Day 1, 2 & 3 of Eid)

If you want to avoid the massive crowds of Kano but still experience pure royal prestige, the Durbars in Katsina, Zaria (Zazzau Emirate), and Bauchi offer equally breathtaking horse-riding displays and deep historical insight.

2. The Ilorin Grand Durbar (Kwara State)

Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, hosts a rapidly growing Sallah Durbar that beautifully combines Yoruba and Fulani cultures.

3. The Ojude Oba Festival (Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State)

If the North is known for the Durbar, the Southwest is defined by Ojude Oba. Taking place exactly three days after Eid al-Kabir (Big Sallah), this is one of the most covered cultural festivals on African social media.

This year, the Ojude Oba festival is set to take place on Friday, the 30th of May.

While Ojude Oba originated as a small gathering of Muslim converts paying homage to the Awujale (King) of Ijebuland for allowing them to practise Islam, it has evolved into a completely non-religious, massive celebration of Ijebu heritage, uniting Muslims, Christians, and traditionalists alike.

What to expect:

The Regberegbe (Age Grades): Different age groups compete in a dazzling display of wealth, elite fashion, and custom-tailored Aso-Ebi (matching luxury fabrics).

The Baloguns: The descendants of the city’s wartime commanders ride into the venue on horseback, firing traditional muskets into the air in salute to the King.

Pro-travel tips for Sallah 2026

Book accommodation early: Cities like Kano and Ijebu-Ode sell out their best hotels months before the festivals.

Hire a local guide: For events like the Northern Durbars, a local guide is crucial to securing prime viewing spots safely.

Dress respectfully: While Lagos and Ojude Oba embrace high fashion and modern styles, conservative, modest clothing is highly recommended when attending Northern Durbar.

 

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Entertainment

Actor Baba Ijesha Welcomes Baby Boy

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Actor Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, has announced the birth of his son.

The actor disclosed this in an Instagram post on Monday, sharing a maternity photoshoot featuring himself and his wife.

Expressing gratitude to God, Baba Ijesha revealed that the couple welcomed a baby boy named King Kagar Omiyinka.

He wrote, “In quiet ways, in unseen ways, God has been writing a story only He could tell. We thank the Almighty for blessing us with a healthy baby boy.

“God gave me more than I prayed for. My ever beautiful wife, strong Jagaban, Abikese de mi owo, @ceolumineeofficial, who became the mother of my son, King Kagar Omiyinka.”

The announcement attracted congratulatory messages from fans and colleagues in the entertainment industry.

Baba Ijesha was released from prison in November 2025 after serving a jail term following his conviction in a child sexual assault case.

 

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Baba Ijesha: None Of My Exes Is A Paedophile – Nkechi Blessing Blasts Critics

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Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing Sunday has slammed those who berated her for questioning the shocking marriage and child announcement of convicted actor Olanrewaju Omiyinka, widely known as Baba Ijesha.

Naija News earlier reported that Baba Ijesha had announced the birth of his son on his Instagram page on Monday.

Baba Ijesha welcomed his son with fashion designer Abiodun Folashade Tokunbo, famously called CEO Luminee.

The news stunned social media users, drawing mixed reactions ranging from warm congratulations to outright disbelief as Baba Ijesha was released from jail in November 14, 2025.

Reacting to the announcement on CEO Luminee’s Instagram page, Blessing openly questioned the news. She commented, asking if she was expected to write “congratulations.” She later posted a video displaying her shock, wondering aloud if the images and videos were generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Nkechi’s skepticism quickly drew fire from critics. Trolls swarmed her page, blasting her for her negative stance. Several commenters questioned her moral authority to judge CEO Luminee’s marital choices, claiming the actress had “changed men like clothes” in her own past.

Refusing to back down, Blessing fired back via her Instagram page. She admitted to her dating history but delivered a stinging defense of her past choices.

“I indeed have dated men,” Blessing stated. “But at least none of them could be said to be a pedophile.”

 

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Blood Sisters Season 2 Answers Old Questions, Then Creates New Problems (REVIEW)

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Blood Sisters season 2 delivers strong performances, moral complexity and answers to lingering questions from season 1, but pacing issues and a messy ending stop it from reaching its full potential.

Blood Sisters season 1 earned its hype. It was a genuinely refreshing entry in Nollywood, and a story that reminded you the industry could do taut, gripping television when it wanted to. So when season 2 arrived, the goodwill was already there. The question was whether the show knew what to do with it.

Probably, they didn’t need to make a second season. With one extra episode, season 1 could have tied its loose ends and left audiences either fighting about whether justice belongs only to the privileged or hopeful that things can indeed work out in the end. Either exit would have been satisfying. But season 2 exists, and here we are.

Kemi and Sarah (Blood Sisters season 2)

To be fair, it opens on solid ground. Season 1 never gave us a definitive closer, and season 2 at least has the decency to answer the questions it left dangling. There is an escalating middle that works, mostly. But somewhere along the way, the show loses the plot, and by the time the finale arrives, what should have been a landing feels more like a stumble.

Where the season genuinely succeeds is in its moral architecture. Almost no one here is simply good or simply bad, and that appears to be entirely intentional.

You can understand why Kemi and Sarah did what they did and still acknowledge that desecrating a body crosses a line. You can recognise Uduak as a terrible mother and still feel something for a woman who lost her son.

Still from Blood Sisters season 2

The show seems invested in the idea that people are capable of both cruelty and justification in the same breath, and that is a more honest portrayal of human nature than most Nigerian productions attempt.

The cast as a whole is strong, with no obvious weak links, though singling out any one performance for the gold medal would be difficult. Different actors shine in different scenes, which is actually a compliment to the ensemble.

Uduak and Timeyin (Blood Sisters season 2)

The dialogue holds up too, with occasional slips that are forgivable enough not to derail anything. Visually, the show maintains a consistent tone throughout, and the score is one of its strengths. It is woven into the texture of the story rather than announced over it, which is not always a given.

The pacing, however, is a problem. The season drags in stretches that feel designed for a different viewing rhythm, a rhythm where you are watching at full speed rather than inching forward. It is a recurring tendency in this space, but it does not make it less frustrating.

Still from Blood Sisters season 2

Then there is the violence, and it’s not the plot-driven kind. The survival and prison scenes, those come with the territory. The concern is the casual, domestic kind.

A marital dispute that edges into sexual coercion is resolved without consequence by the next scene. A disabled husband beaten nearly to unconsciousness, and then the couple is fine again. These moments are presented as texture rather than examined as a problematic pattern, and the show does not seem to notice the weight it is dropping.

Still from Blood Sisters season 2

Femi’s wife also suffers from a poorly resolved arc. She comes in with edge, an early instigator with a hunger for control, and exits the season recast as selfless. The pivot is never earned.

As for the ending, it suggests a third season may be coming, but it lays no real groundwork for one. Loose threads are tied off messily, what could have been a clean directional path gets fractured into too many parts, and the cumulative effect is exhaustion rather than anticipation.

Blood Sisters season 2 is not without merit. The performances, the moral complexity, the score, they all remind you what this show can be. But it needed tighter editing, more considered handling of its domestic violence subplots, and an ending that respected its own story enough to make it work.

Still from Blood Sisters season 2

VERDICT: Worth watching, but manage your expectations coming off season 1. If you are willing to speedwalk a few stretches, the performances and the moral complexity make it a decent watch

 

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