{"id":6524,"date":"2022-07-15T13:37:45","date_gmt":"2022-07-15T13:37:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naijabiography.com\/?post_type=history-culture&p=6524"},"modified":"2022-07-15T13:39:28","modified_gmt":"2022-07-15T13:39:28","slug":"the-history-and-culture-of-eyo","status":"publish","type":"history-culture","link":"https:\/\/naijabiography.com\/history-culture\/the-history-and-culture-of-eyo\/","title":{"rendered":"The History and Culture of Eyo Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Lagosians, especially those who have a family background in Lagos<\/a>, are most familiar with the history of Eyo and the Eyo festival. A storyteller like me was fascinated by the story of Eyo because I listened to Asa Elemide\u2019s<\/a> song titled \u201cBeginning, where she featured Eyo.\u201d<\/strong> When I traced the lyrics of the song and why she had to use that particular word. For a creative writer, it meant happiness, fresh breath, a new beginning, and joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the Eyo festival over the years has been a remarkable event, which, according to history, is a day celebrated to honour the Oba of Lagos <\/strong>and to escort the departed soul of a departed king or chief, as well as to usher in the reign of a new king or chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this piece, I will be exploring the history of Eyo and why the Eyo festival is regarded as the most remarkable festival in Lagos state.<\/p>\n\n\n The Eyo Festival, sometimes called the Adamu Orisha Play<\/strong>, is a Yoruba <\/a>celebration that only takes place in Lagos, Nigeria<\/a>. Due to its history and customary performance on Lagos Island, it is being promoted by the Lagosians as a tourist attraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The term “Eyo”<\/strong> is also used to describe the masquerades<\/strong>, or dressed-up dancers, that perform at the festival. Lagos’s secret organizations’ inner workings are where this celebration started. The Eyo celebration was once held to welcome a new monarch and to escort the soul of a deceased Lagos King or Chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to history, two nameless individuals from the Ibefun and Ijebu communities<\/strong> in present-day Ogun State<\/strong> brought the Eyo Masquerade to Lagos Island around 1750.<\/strong> They were successful in including it as a part of the funeral rites of passage for the outgoing Oba of the time, Oba Ado<\/strong>, who is thought to have wed one of their cousins, Olugbani<\/strong>. This was a result of the compelling appeal made by them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eyo Orisa Oniko<\/strong> was ranked second to Eyo Orisa Adimu<\/strong>, but during his reign, Oba Adele <\/strong>ordered Okanlabato <\/strong>to take over the second spot, and it has been that way ever since. Research also has it that Eyo Okanlaba <\/strong>only has a “Laba” (symbolic bag),<\/strong> which belongs to the current Oba, and has no Orisa<\/strong>. Thus, this is why, till now, Okanlaba’s second place in the Orisa group has remained unchanged and will remain unchanged indefinitely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n History has it that each “Orisa of Eyo”<\/strong> has customary duties that they must carry out in accordance with the orders of “Orisa Adimu,”<\/strong> who was the Supreme Head of all Orisas<\/strong>, including the Eyo Onilaba,<\/strong> also known as the Eyo Oba or Eyo Alakete Pupa<\/strong>. In addition, the “police<\/strong>” of the Orisa Adimu regime in Laba will also carry out this order. Thus, these orisas are responsible for upholding strict discipline inside the Eyo groupings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, these Orisas are saddled with the responsibility of making sure the Eyo gang abides by the restrictions of the Adamu Orisa Play<\/strong>. They, because of this, ensure that they follow Awe Adimu’s instructions and stay in touch with him frequently during the preparation phase and on the day of the Adamu Orisa Play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, people think that the play is an example of the traditional African celebration that predates the contemporary carnival in Brazil<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whilst some Orisas, like Orisa Ogunran and Orisa Elegbaopopo,<\/strong> were brought from Benin to Lagos by Chief Olorogunagan Asagbemi<\/strong> during the reign of Oba Ado of Lagos 350 years ago,<\/strong> some historians believe that Eyo was from Ibefun as a result of the need to protect the deities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, some sources revealed that Eyo originated from Iperu<\/strong>, known as the source and cradle of Eyo in Nigeria and even the world. According to research, the \u201cIga \u00e9yo Pakerik\u00e9\u201d<\/strong> is the major source of Eyo in Iperu, alongside the four Iperu royal houses.<\/strong> The Iga Eyo of Iperu can further be categorized into five known as Iga Eyo Akesan; Iga Pakerike,<\/strong> which is symbolized by the red cap of \u00e9yo; Iga Agbonmagbe<\/strong>, also symbolized by the blue cap of \u00e9yo; Iga \u00e9yo Odoru, Iga \u00e9yo Mogusen\/Amororoo, and Iga \u00e9yo Fibigbuwa.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n However, history has made it known that Eyo was brought to Lagos to celebrate the in-law and its first procession was held in Lagos on the 20th of February, 1854,<\/strong> to commemorate the life of Oba Akintoye, <\/strong>and since, it has become the norm in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Eyo Festival<\/h3>\n\n\n\n