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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, on Monday warned adherents of the Egungun festival against the usual thuggery and hooliganism that have always trailed the festival annually in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
He gave the warning when he hosted the heads of Egungun cults (Alaagbaas), under the umbrella of Ojesowapo in his Alarere residence, Ibadan, ahead of the 2022 Egungun festival in the city within the next few weeks.
Investigation revealed that there are scores of masquerades in Ibadan. But the prominent ones among them include Oloolu, Alapansanpa, Atipako, Ooyi, Abidielege, and Jalaruru.
The Olubadan enjoined the Alaagbaas to help sanitise the festival towards making the purpose of the celebration, which includes praying against evil occurrences and general entertainment of the residents, to be fulfilled.
The palace, according to him, would not tolerate the breakdown of law and order, under the guise of the Egungun festival.
The monarch promised to give the group all the necessary support and assistance required of the palace for the successful hosting of the festival whenever the time comes. But he insisted that everything must be done within the armpit of the law.
The Alaagbaa of Agugu, Chief Ojebiyi Adepoju, who led the group to the Olubadan residence, said the purpose of the visit was to pay homage and sensitise the palace on the annual festival, which will begin in May and end in July.
Efforts, he stated, were being put in place to ensure that the festival is held without the attendant rancour, saying: ‘We are conscious of the unpalatable image the festival had acquired in the past and we are ready to change it.
‘The visit, being made to the palace, is to inform Kabiyesi of our efforts in that direction and to solicit the palace’s support because we need the cooperation and assistance of the security agencies to achieve our goal.
‘We are fully prepared for a successful and hitch-free festival. We are ready to do away with the past ugly incidents associated with the festival and we are very happy with the promise of assurances received from our Kabiyesi.’
