THE INSPECTORS

 On the 25^th of April 2009, Lagos was agog with the celebration of Adamu Orisa festival popularly known as Eyo. This festival which originated from Benin kingdom of Oduduwa Kingdom found acceptance among the Isale Eko far back.

Lagos as fondly called is a small area in the Island being inhabited by the original owners of Lagos state, that is, the sons of the soil. As an Island, it is surrounded by Ocean and become blessed by the presence of many business Establishments. Private, Public, Multinational and Government owned Organizations have their offices in the area. Popular markets like Idumota, Jankara, Agbangbo and Balogun are found within it. Corporate entities such as Nigeria Stock Exchange, Central Bank, Zenith Bank and popular streets like Broad Street, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Marina are within the area. It is a hub of business activities where billions of naira exchange hands daily. In this area the celebrants of this festival live.

 

Eyo which means rejoice with me and I rejoice is a yearly festival. Also, could be on display, like other Masquerades in Africa, when a member, a very old man, a title holder and a Warrior died in a community. This past one was in honour of a departed Oba and Late Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson.

 

According to African legendary the display is to bid the departed souls farewell and lead them peacefully to meet with the ancestors in the great beyond.

It is good to know that Masquerade of African antecedent is traditionally rooted in goddian religion. Since culture, tradition and religion are interwoven in a typical African society; Masquerade becomes one of the popular dances witnessed frequently from time to time but not as a festival.

 

Eyo is becoming popular as year passes. What used to be heard from the mouths of those whose businesses are situated in the area is gaining publicity. Big shots of the land like Prince Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the past Governor of Lagos State have determined to give it an International recognition and acceptance. In pursuit of this project, the incumbent Governor Babatunde Fashola went publicizing through posters and radio announcement before the actual date came. He said, his administration would make the festival gain tourist attraction. To this end, he called off the usual environmental cleaning exercise which holds every last Saturday of

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Babatunde R.Fashola          Former Governor Ahmed Tinubu

                                                              Amidst Eyo Masquerades during the

                                                                 Festival                                                                                                                     

                                        

every month. He announced that every business should remain closed till the end of the festival.

 

The publicity the festival is gaining is not unconnected with interest and support it has drawn from men of timber and caliber of Lagos. Reputable people have subscribed into Eyo owning their own masquerades as a way of promoting culture. Some others see it as another way of measuring wealth and popularity since every subscriber of a Masquerade group funds it and keeps the membership.

 

Little wonder, there exist various groups in different colourful costumes. Only the colours differentiate each group from another because Eyo costumes are sown with the same style and shape with hat atop unlike other Masquerades from the Eastern part of the country.

 

Promoting Eyo to an International Status for tourism gains is a good thought in a generation that has witnessed the highest tourism patronage since the world began but needs to be fine tuned. No doubt the foreign earnings that will accrue from it might be quite high the environment must be made friendly. The celebrants need to be educated to have liberal and social minds in order to encourage the new status.

 

Presently Eyo is seen as that belonging to the sons of the soil, non indigenes are barred from coming closer. Any effort to draw nearer to Eyo attracts the wrath of the occupants of the masquerade. In fact, masquerade dance is known for a show of occult powers among the rivalry groups buried in their canes. A lot of painful experiences have been shared by people who suddenly encountered Eyo, the brutality and the effects of the evil cane. Possession of evil powers masquerades are known for made them scary to people in this continent. Therefore, stripping every group its charms and amulets to endear it to participants is an issue that must be addressed by the projectors. Now the Governor is repackaging Eyo to embrace modernism a salient question is whether the Fetish and rituals that goes with Masquerades dances will cease to exist?

Whether the warnings of the consequences of not heeding to business closure notice within the area during Eyo festival and walking on the streets beyond certain stipulated time during the preparatory days are only threats are better explained by the advocators. But some maintained that lives are lost in times like this.

 

Another challenge facing the Governor is how to tackle the activities of Area boys who harass, intimidate and hold people in hostage to extort money from any victim who walked into them. Definitely, tourists would like to stroll around for site seeing.

 

Opening of business should not be discouraged rather enough security be drafted in the area to monitor activities of Robbers who would take advantage of the period. Judging from the goings, if it succeeds in gaining International and National patronage, public holidays might be declared for days in Lagos to ensure that visitors have enough feel of the festival. Therefore shops need to open to enable tourists have access to goods being sold, especially made in Nigeria Stuffs. That alone gets revenue to Government by way of Taxes and Levies. To shut down activities would mean lost of revenues which the writer believes this prudent administration will not be associated with.

 

Another consideration is to map out an area of land by Government as a ground or use of state stadium for the celebration of the festival as in other places to save it from interferences of other activities. It could be built to have toll gates and tickets for participants. A token anyone can part with easily.

 

To add colour to the festival, it could be liberalized by handing out invitations to other states of the Federation to participate. Those states coming with their own Masquerades will add varieties to the event. Some Masquerades in the East are known within and outside Nigeria.

 Lagos houses about 250 tribes in Nigeria and other neighbouring countries who share the masquerade culture with her. It will be amazing if some cultural groups other than masquerades feature too since it is a celebration of culture. This goes along way to strengthen peace, unity, tolerance and love among Lagosians. Strangers will feel appreciated by allowing them to share in the festival of their host. The invitation to rejoice with me as the name implies should not be limited to indigenes. In other cultures, people give invitations to friends, business partners, and well wishers across the globe to grace the occasions. These guests feel highly honoured to be part of the events how much more people that contribute to the growth of Lagos State.

 

Eyo to embrace modernism is far from giving it a social aura without disconnecting from spiritism and pagan orientations. Masquerades way of initiation and incantations (asoje) are expressions of pagan philosophies which a decent society should part with. Masquerades mingle with demon entities through medium of Native doctors and no patron of evil spirits is approved by God.

 

By Okey iwuji

iwujio@ yahoo.com