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…says Gbugbugbu is culture, not thuggery
A counter-narrative has emerged over the reported attack on the palace of the Alale of Akungba in Akoko South-West LGA of Ondo State on Thursday, October 8, with a concerned stakeholder insisting that what happened in Ilale was not an attack but a legitimate ancestral burial rite misrepresented.
The reaction is contained in a rejoinder titled “Who Is Who In Akungba Platforms – Counter Response” signed by F.A Adeniyi on behalf of Justice and Fair Hearing, in response to prominent Akungba-Akoko indigene and community advocate, Pius Ade Babaleye, better known as PAB, who had condemned the alleged attack on the palace of Oba Isiaka Oseni Adu during the burial of late Pa. Jubril Jinadu, popularly known as Igbao.
In a post shared on Facebook, Babaleye stated that individuals participating in the traditional Gbugbugbu dance during the burial in the popular university town had attacked the palace, leaving three injured.
He said, “The palace of the Alale of Akungba Land is not merely a building. It is a symbol of our history, identity, culture, unity, and collective heritage.
“Our revered monarch, Oba Isiaka Oseni Adu (JP), Agure I, occupies a position that deserves the respect of every responsible son and daughter of Akungba, regardless of personal differences, political affiliations, family backgrounds, or social status.
“Kabiyesi represents an institution that has survived generations and continues to serve as a rallying point for our people.
“We may disagree on certain issues, but disagreements should never translate into violence against the palace or any other institution that represents our collective identity.”
In the rejoinder, Adeniyi, a member of the Olugbade Ruling House, faulted Babaleye for allegedly passing judgment without investigation.
Quoting a popular Yoruba adage, he said, “He who judges based on one side of a story is a wicked elder.”
He argued that Babaleye was not at the scene and took one side of the story to indict a bereaved family.
Setting the record straight, the rejoinder explained that Gbugbugbu or Ogagago is not hooliganism but one of the most ancient recognised cultural dances in Akungba-Akoko, performed specifically during funerals of elders as a platform for social correction through songs, proverbs and satire.
“It is our own traditional media, our own EFCC, before the white man came. It has never been classified as violence,” the statement reads in part.
On what actually transpired, the group stated that while the cultural troupe was going round Ilale quarters singing the usual correctional songs as demanded by tradition, some individuals standing at the entrance of the palace who felt uncomfortable with the content of the songs started videoing the dancers and challenging them.
“It was that confrontation by those who were provoked by the truth in the songs that led to arguments and shouting. To now twist this into an attack on the palace by the bereaved family is a deliberate misrepresentation of facts,” the rejoinder said.
Questioning the logic of the allegation, he said, “Which family, while burying their own father and seeking peace for the soul of the departed, will leave the funeral ground to go and attack the palace of Alale of Akungba, the sacred Ancient Throne of all Akungba people?”
The rejoinder affirmed respect for the palace as sacred, warning that respect for the palace should not be used as a weapon to suppress culture or tarnish an innocent family.
“If we truly respect the Palace, we must not bring to it table lies and one-sided reports capable of causing it to unjustly punish its own citizens,” Adeniyi stated.
He also took a swipe at platform administrators who make claims without verification, urging Babaleye to uphold higher standards of fairness, visit Ilale to hear from the family, speak to the Olori Ebi and leaders of the Gbugbugbu group, and verify facts before publishing.
“Journalism without investigation is gossip. Advocacy without fairness is oppression,” he said.
Defending the youths who participated in the rite, Adeniyi emphasised that they were not criminals but custodians of a culture fast going into extinction who should be celebrated for keeping the ancient songs alive in 2026.
“Yes, we preach peace. But peace without truth is not peace, it is suppression,” he added.
Adeniyi demanded an impartial investigation by the police, a joint fact-finding meeting by the Alale-in-Council involving both parties, and an unreserved apology from Babaleye to the Jinadu family for the embarrassment during their mourning period.
“Akungba is our pride, truly. But our pride will not be preserved by destroying our culture in order to please certain individuals. Let us not kill our tradition to prove we are civilized,” the rejoinder further reads.
