Kunle Adelabu
The Eletu of Oke -Eletu, Eletu Adeniyi Omotayo Ajayi, has said that the significance of celebrating traditional festivals like Eyibi which began in his community at the weekend, is to honour and preserve the memory of ancestors and also to preserve heritage and culture of the community.
Eletu Ajayi emphasised that the Eyibi, an important annual traditional festival and others will continue to be celebrated in his domain, because they portend peace, and unity within the community.
Ituworo with Agemo performance, Eluku Olumori Day, Ita and Sixth and Seventh days will also witness Agemo masquerades performances.
The traditional leader in Oke – Eletu said in an interview with THE IMPACT in his palace at the commencement of 2025 Eyibi festival at Oke – Eletu:
“It portends peace, harmony and unity among the indigenes and non-indigenes. As you can see that when we are celebrating Eyibi Festival in Oke – Eletu, people from far and near come home to perform their duties. It is our cultural heritage which we inherited from our forefathers and we must protect it.
“We must be celebrating it every year. Like the old national anthem stanza that says “may the labour of our heroes never be in vain), So, we are celebrating our heroes and may their labours never be in vain.
“In that wise, Eyibi festival is one of the festivals that I met in Oke -Eletu and we shall continue to celebrate it.”
The traditional head unveiled the seven activities that would mark this year’s celebration.
“Aside from Agemo festival which is today (Saturday), that is Ituworo, through which we appease the gods, through the Agemo masquerades. During this, we usually pray and do necessary sacrifice. After that, on Sunday, that is the day for the Eluku Olumori. The Eluku adherents on this day come out to perform their own part.
“Thereafter, on the third day which is called Ita , the Agemo will continue to perform at the market square. The fourth and fifth days are meant for relaxation because that is the day that we normally have our Ejina market called Oja Iworo (Iworo Market).
“We normally leave those two days for the people that are coming from outside to market their products. So, we normally leave two days without any festival activities, except if anybody wishes to engage in merriment and social activities.
“But on the sixth day, the Agemo will come out to perform and the same on the seventh day, which is the final day,” he said.
