Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyibo, the Deji of Akure, has just given an order to close down all commercial activities in Akure, the capital city of Ondo State, to properly commemorate the annual Aheregbe festival in the state.
The shutdown, according to the traditional ruler, will take effect on Friday, August 25, and it will affect marketplaces and shops in Akure and its neighbouring settlements.
In a statement issued through Michael Adeyeye, his Chief Press Secretary, the monarch listed the importance of the festival and its effect on the community.
The monarch had stressed that the stoppage of all commercial activities during the festival is a well known custom that holds great importance in Akure’s tradition.
According to a statement he made, it was of great importance to stress that there would be no trading and that opening of shops under any reason whatsoever during the festival would not be tolerated.
“Residents, market women, shop owners are all kindly urged to comply with this directive.”
“Pharmacy shops and patent medicine stores are the only shops excluded from the directive of shutting down their shops during the festival. The festival will not in any way hinder both human and vehicular movement.”
