A celebration of tradition, beauty, and pride unfolded at Awori House, Oregun, as young women from Awori communities in Lagos and Ogun States gathered for the Omidan Awori 2025 auditions. The pageant is part of the second edition of the Awori Cultural Fiesta (Awori Day 2025), a festival dedicated to showcasing and preserving the rich heritage of the Awori people.

Organised by the Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN), the festival is scheduled for December 2025 and seeks to serve as a unifying platform for Awori communities while promoting tourism and investment in the region.

Speaking at the auditions, AWAN National President Muhammed Olagbayi said the pageant is about more than physical beauty.

“The competition goes beyond beauty. Contestants are judged on their ability to reflect cultural values through dressing, hairstyles, speech, and traditional etiquette. We want to show the world that the Awori have bold, beautiful, and brilliant girls who can stand tall anywhere,” Olagbayi said.

He emphasized that the festival highlights traditional dress, hairdos, dance, and cuisine as integral elements of Awori culture.

“Through this, we are saying to the world: come and see how our girls dress, braid their hair, talk, and eat. These are elements that define who we are as Awori,” he added.

The Olu of Oregun, Oba Olukunmi Akingbola, praised the initiative for strengthening youth pride and identity while preserving cultural heritage at a time when Western influences are increasingly pervasive. He encouraged organisers to sustain the momentum and expressed optimism that the festival will continue to grow in impact and reach.

Awori communities, numbering over 200, each bring unique dances, songs, and traditions to the festival, positioning it as both a cultural showcase and a driver of tourism—an avenue that contributes to national development and global cultural exchange.

The Omidan Awori 2025 pageant underscores AWAN’s mission to empower young women while celebrating and exporting the rich Awori heritage to the world.