AGEMO MASQUERADE

Agemo

I am opportuned by virtue of my origin to have witnessed and experienced  a lot of rich cultural & traditional festivals. In the Remo (formerly Ijebu remo) area which I hail from, I have been left captivated, enchanted and mesmerized by many of such festivals amongst which is the Agemo festival.

I can remember vividly as a child seeing half-naked fierce looking men, who accompied the Agemo masquerades, taking turns to willingly  whip each other with the long whips they were holding. I am not sure which was more terrifying, ths sight of the men whipping each other or the 'moving' mats which danced hapharzardly around the arena. The arena was often open streets or in a king's palace,

The Agemo masquerade belongs to  the yoruba speaking people of Ijebuland. It is an enigmatic  phenomenon which is meant to be invincible. It is one of the most powerful deities in  Ijebuland believed to be a protector of children and also ensures blessings of Ijebu people. Agemo is believed to have been introduced by the mythical Obanta clans.

Festival

The festival usually takes place between the Months of June & August As a deity and unseen god, it dishes out instruction to custodian (The Oloja) and the like OLUGBON ASE (TAMI) to be carried out. The festival is usually preceded by "Ireku" which marks the opening of the gate for the Agemos to come into Imosan. The coming of the  Agemos into Imosan through Ijebu Ode is called "Iworo."

The festival lasts seven days and takes place after consultation between the Awujale (paramount ruler) of Ijebu land & the heads of sixteen recognized or titled agemos also called Olofas.

Agemo festival historically commenced after seven days of chanting by the Oro cult beating their gbedu drums after which the sixteen  Agemo masquerades from sixteen different villages gather at Imosan  via Ijebu-Ode to spend three days at the Agemo shrine where they receive gifts from the Awujale. It is a taboo for women to see the Agemos on their way to Imosan.

The Agemo masquerades perform several traditional rites and appease the Agemo deity. On the last day of the festival where a traditional ritual dance is performed, it can be witnessed by women. The masquerades then make their way to Ijebu Ode where the  festival ends with the dance by the leader of the agemo, 'Tami Onire' before the Awujale and further public dances by the other agemos.

Masquerades

There are 16 different types of Agemo masquerades and 15 are covered from head to toe in Raffia and wearing head masks. The 16th type, Agemo Eleni  (translates to Agemo with the Mat) which is about half the height of the other Agemo masquerades  is covered with a Mat.

Agemo Eleni during Sagamu Day Festival 2018 at Akarigbo Palace Sagamu, Remo, Ogun State

Ogun State Kings- The Ewusi Of Makun Sagamu

EWUSI OF MAKUN

My father, Oba Timothy Oyesola Akinsanya, is the current Ewusi of Makun, Sagamu, Remo, Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria. Ewusi is the traditional title of the king of Makun. He ascended the throne on 27th May 2007.

Sagamu is composed of 13 different towns which are as follows: Makun, Ofin, Epe, Soyindo, Ibido, Egbepa, Ado, Ipoji, Batoro, Oko, Ijoko, Latawa, Ijagba that came together in 1865.

Makun has four ruling houses. They are:-

(a) Osoribiya/Abara
(b) Inanuwa
(c) Muleoruwa/Orungba
(d) Eerikokunsa/Olukokun/Agunloye.

The four ruling houses rotate the kingship of the Ewusi.

On the demise of an Ewusi , it is the tradition of Makun to perform all the traditional rites and rituals. The next ruling house knows itself. It is their duty to present the candidate for the vacant stool. The family can present one or more candidates to the kingmakers in Makun. The kingmakers in Makun are ten in number. They are the following through their titles. Only those who are holding these titles as at the time a new king is to be appointed are the kingmakers. They are as follows.

1. The Lisa
2. “ Losi
3. “ Aro
4. “ Odofin
5. “ Oliwo
6. “ Apena
7. “ Balogun
8. “ Ogbeni odi (Asoju Oba)
9. “ Olotu Omoba.
10. “ Akoje

There are so many events that will take place between between the period of selection and coronation. There will be restriction, seclusion, and transformation in a practice commonly known as Ipebi.

Ipebi

This is usually a three-month seclusion in a native shrine He is not allowed to see any member of his family except male. During this time he goes through different rites and learns all he needs to know about the traditions and customs of the land and he is fortified traditionally and he gains the power of the previous Ewusis before him. This is a period of real transformation from a mere man to the Oba, alase, ekeji Orisa (King, the ruler and the gods’ lieutenant).

Below are some of the known Ewusis that have ruled over Makun although It was be noted that this is not an exhaustive list due to lack of historical records.

1. Ewusi Osoribiya - Atobatele I
2. Ewusi Agunloye - Agunloye I
3. Ewusi Eerikokunsa - Eerikokunsa I
4. Ewusi Orungba - Orungba I
5. Ewusi Inanuwa - Inanuwa I
6. Ewusi Ajayi Afolu - Afolu I
7. Ewusi Soleghe Olukokun - Olukokun I
8. Ewusi Soyombo Agunloye - Agunloye II
9. Ewusi Sotinwa Atobatele - Atobatele II
10. Ewusi Theo. Oremade - Olukokun II
11. Ewusi Michael Ashaye - Eerikokunsa II
12. Ewusi Henry Adetunji Ayeola - Afolu II
13. Ewusi Olutayo Efuwape Ogunsowo - Inanuwa II
14. Ewusi Timothy Oyesola Akinsanya - Orungba II

Ewusi of Makun, Oba Timothy Oyesola Akinsanya & Olori Beatrice Iyabode Akinsanya, coronation day, 27th May 2007

Ewusi of Makun, olori and Akarigbo, Paramount ruler of Remo (Late Oba Sonariwo)

Ewusi of Makun Kingdom

Makun has two main quarters which ate Ojutun and Agbowa. Traditionally, they have been associated with the  clan cults of Makun. It must be noted that even with the introduction of  Christianity and Islam, the traditional clan cults are still maintained by their custodians. There are other major quarters and sub-quarters that emanated from the two main quarters. The quarters, either major or sub-quarter are the following.

1. Itun Alara
2. Itun Imode
3. Itun Ejina
4. Itun Abara
5. Itun Emuko
6. Itun Ojutun
7. Itun Isote
8. Itun Yenugho
9. Itun Ode
10. Itun Kuna
11. Itun Regun
12. Itun Agbon
13. Itun Liwo
14. Itun Ladugba
15. Itun Oje
16. Itun Solomade

My parents at the Thanksgiving ceremony of my father's coronation day 28th May 2007

Ewusi of Makun with the Akarigbo & Paramount ruler of Remoland, Oba Babtunde Adewale Ajayi in a meeting

Although, the purpose of this piece is not to give a comprehensive account of the history of Makun or Indeed Sagamu. A more comprehensive account can be found  here, nevertheless it is noteworthy to remember that Sagamu is the commercial capital of Remo Town, a very important Town in Ogun State that also seats the paramount ruler of Remo, the Akarigbo. 

I remain a proud son of Makun, a great, thriving & developing community full of hard working and accommodating people. Makun is the home of colourful tradition, culture and festivals. Home to many masquerades, traditional worshippers, Christians & muslims alike. It is home to many industrious sons & daughters of  Sagamu and Ogun State. Long live Makun!

Balufon Dancers at GolcaBash 2019

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ESU IS NOT SATAN

 Èṣù, is an òrìṣà (spirits sent by Olodumare  (God) )  in the Yoruba religion of the Yoruba people or the guidance of all creation and of humanity in particular, on how to live and be successful on Ayé (Earth). (originating from Yorubaland  an area in and around present-day Nigeria).

Most Òrìṣà are said to have previously existed in the spirit world (òrun) as Irumole, and then become incarnated as human beings here on Earth. Others are said to be humans who are recognised as deities upon their death due to extraordinary feats accomplished in life As the religion has spread around the world, the name of this Orisa has varied in different locations, but the beliefs remain similar.

Esu is an orisa (a god or spirit), so instead of four hundred supernatural powers, the Yoruba often speak of four hundred and one, Esu being the divinity on top of the four hundred. He is regarded as one of the most powerful orisa, capable of changing his form at will. Each odu (an odu is a chapter of Ifa, an immense volume of traditions, consisting of 256 chapters, or odu; each odu contains from six hundred to eight hundred poems known as Ese Ifa, totalling as many as 204, 800 poems) is governed by its own Esu. There are 256 different forms of existence that Esu can assume. 

Esu is known as the "Father who gave birth to Ogboni", and is also thought to be agile and always willing to rise to a challenge. Both ocha and Ifá share some paths, however. Esu Ayé is said to work closely with Orisa Olokun and is thought to walk on the shore of the beach. Eshu Bi is a stern and forceful avatar, appearing as both an old man and young boy, who walked with Sangó and Oyá (the initial two Ibeyi), and Esu Bi protects both of these, as well as all other small children. Esu Laroye is an avatar believed to be the companion of Osún and believed to be one of the most important Esus, and the avatar of Esu Laroye is thought to be talkative and small.

But Esu is also a kinsman of the Ajogun, malevolent supernatural powers; the eight Ajogun warlords are his errand boys. Esu is like an impartial judge who mediates between the benevolent and malevolent supernatural powers. He is able to do this by using a sacrifice provided by a would-be victim. When Esu presents the sacrifice to a warring Ajogun, the Ajogun allows his victim to go away unhurt. But if a would-be victim does not perform sacrifice, Esu is not in a position to help him.

Other Names

The name of Esu vary around the world: in Yorùbáland, Esu is Èṣù-Elegba or Laolu-Ogiri Oko; Exu de Candomblé in Candomblé; Echú in Santería and Latin America; Legba in Haitian Vodou; Leba in Winti; Exu de Quimbanda in Quimbanda; Lubaniba in Palo Mayombe; and Exu in Latin America.^[1]

Umbanda

The shrine dedicated to Esu is located outside of the main terreiro of a Candomblé temple, usually near the entrance gate. It is, in general, made of rough clay or a simple mound of red clay. They are similar to those found in Nigeria.

Ritual foods offered to Exu include palm oil; beans; corn, either in the form of cornmeal or popcorn; farofa, a manioc flour. Four-legged male birds and other animals are offered as sacrifice to Exu. In each offering made to an orixá, a part of the food is separated and dedicated to Exu.

ESU AT EWUSI PALACE

There was a display by 'ESU Perfomers' back in 2018 at Ewusi Palace, Sagamu, venue of my father's 75th birthday ceremony, the Ewusi of Makun Kingdom . It was indeed a great  spectacle to witness the mesmerising and enchanting displays of the 'performers'. They thrilled us with incredible and breathtaking acrobatic displays as well as traditional incantations and the grand finale was when they consumed their Ebo (sacrifice of food offering) in which the head a cock was ripped from it's neck with bare teeth a sight which is truly not for the fainthearted.

Esu Trilling us with their acrobatic displays

Paying homage to my father, Ewusi of Makun at the Palace

Displaying their acrobatic powress

                                                Esu consuming their Ebo (Sacrifice)

Controversy on English translations and on GoogleThere seems to have been controversy from the first English Translations of Yorùbá words in the mid nineteenth century, Èṣù has been defined to be the "devil" or "satan". The first evidence of this came Samuel Ajayi Crowther's "Vocabulary of the Yoruba" (1842) where his entries for "Satan" and "Devil" had Esu in English. Subsequently, dictionaries over the years seem to have followed the same route to the disapproval of popular culture and Yoruba societies as well.


There have been several online campaigns recently to protest this, and many activisys have worked to correct it.There have also been quite a number of academic work explaining the mistranslation.The translation on Google Translate took up the same earlier mistranslations. This led to a number of online campaigns until 2016 when Nigerian linguist and writer Kola Tubosun, then an employeeat Google, first changed it back to less derogatory connotations. And when the changes werereverted, he changed them again in 2019. The translation for Èṣù to English now remains "Èṣù"while 'devil' and 'satan' translate to 'bìlísì' and 'sàtánì' respectively.

EYO MASQUERADE

EYO FESTIVAL

The Eyo Festival, otherwise known as the Adamu Orisha Play, is a Yoruba festival unique to Lagos, Nigeria. In modern times, it is presented by the people of Lagos as a tourist event and due to its history, is traditionally performed on Lagos Island.

THE EYO

The word "Eyo" also refers to the costumed dancers, known as the masquerades that come out during the festival. The origins of this observance are found in the inner workings of the secret societies of Lagos.[Back in the days, The Eyo festival is held to escort the soul of a departed Lagos King or Chief and to usher in a new king. It is widely believed that the play is one of the manifestations of the customary African revelry that serves as the forerunner of the modern carnival in Brazil. On Eyo Day, the main highway in the heart of the city (from the end of Carter Bridge to Tinubu Square) is closed to traffic, allowing for procession from Idumota to the Iga Idunganran palace. The white-clad Eyo masquerades represent the spirits of the dead, and are referred to in Yoruba as "agogoro Eyo" (literally: "tall Eyo").

The absence of written document and reliance on oral tradition for the origin of Eyo has made the history shrouded in obscurity owing to divergent views on the accounts of the progenitors and circumstances surrounding the founding of the festival. Thus an objective appraisal will suffice for the integral rudiments and social structure radiating round the festival. One of the traditions espoused that Eyo masquerade did not originate from Lagos but the product of two personalities from Ibefun and Ijebu communities in present day Ogun State. 

The theatrical display of the Eyo was used as an interment rite of passage for their beloved In-law, Oba (king) Ado, who married one of their cousins, Olugbani. Another similar account from the Isokun Onilegbale Chieftaincy Family states that the wife of King Ado of Lagos whose two brothers (or male cousins), Ejilu and Malaki, came to visit her in Lagos, but discovered her dead upon their arrival. Thereafter, they returned to lbefun to bring the Eyo Masquerade to Lagos to celebrate her death. These two traditions despite the reasons for the introduction of the Eyo and the discrepancy in the names of the cousins to the wife of King Ado, they both share a common story that the masquerade was brought from Ibefun and or Ijebu.

A picture of me and Eyo masquerades at Ewusi Palace, Makun,Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria

Flowing from this dynamics another version from the Ogunmade Chieftaincy Family states that it was only the Eyo Masquerade that was brought in from lbefun, but that the Adamu Orisa, which is the lead deity in whose name the play has been subsequently staged, was brought into Lagos from Benin by the Olugbade family. Yet, another version claims that the Adamu Orisa, the Orisa Ogunran and the Orisa Elegba Opopo were originally brought in from Benin by Chief Ologun Agan and Chief Ologun Igbesodi during the reign of Oba Ado of Lagos, which was over 350 years ago.

On the contrary to the above assertions, another source states that the Adamu Orisa Eyo was brought by the same people who brought Awopa to Lagos and not by the Ijebu from the area, while yet another version says that due to the lack of royal entertainment in Lagos during the reign of Oba Ado, apart from some traditional music, Chief Ologun Agan went to his town, Benin, accompanied by his friend Ejilo, to bring the Orisa Oko, which is the Adamu Orisa, and presented it to the Oba. However, another version has it that the main deity Adamu Orisha originated from Ibefun just as Eyo masquerade came as a result of the need to protect the deity from the activities of hooligans who might seek to destroy or steal it. 

Those who hold this view say that the traditional iconic staff of the masquerade known as Opambata, was invented as part of the regalia for the purpose of warding off undesirable elements.
In the exploration of Eyo, there is bound to be endless and divergent accounts to the origin and circumstance for the introduction of this colourful and elegant festival. 

Despite these divergent accounts on the origin of Eyo, the mode, regalia, and other features have over the years remained uniform and more spices are added to it for the enjoyment of all attendants across the globe. From inception the festival is depicted by the image of a masquerade in flowing white apparel and encompasses a week-long series of activities that culminates in a striking procession of thousands of men clothed in white and wearing a variety of coloured hats, called Aga. 

The procession which dances and celebrates on the streets of Lagos moves through various crucial locations and landmarks in the city, including the Oba’s Palace. The Eyo are considered to be related to the spirits of the dead who have returned to cleanse Lagos of evil and to pray for its continued prosperity and peaceful co-existence.

Names of the families and Iga of Eyo each represents are:

1. Iga Pakerike which is symbolized by red cap of eyo
2. Iga Agbonmagbe, also symbolized by blue cap of eyo
3. Iga eyo Odoru
4. Iga eyo Mogusen/Amororo
5. Iga eyo Fibigbuwa

Prohibited Items

Here is a list of prohibited items at the festival:

• Okada motorcycle taxis
• Bicycles
• Sandals
• Suku - hairstyle that is popular among the Yorubas, one that has the hair converge at the middle, then shoot upward, before tipping downward.
• Smoking
• Female with head tie or head gear or any covering of the head
• male with cap of any kind

The masquerades are known to beat people who use any of the prohibited items at sight with their staffs.

In conclusion, the beauty of the Eyo festival and its socio cultural symbolism being rooted in the tradition and custom of the people of Lagos cannot be overemphasised.The festival is indeed an elegant, mystical and theatrical showcase.

BALUFON DRUM

INTRODUCTION

Drums are used to produce rhythmic sounds for the purpose of entertainment or other purposes. In Africa, drums serve an important purpose in different ways in people's daily life.

They can also be used as instruments of announcement, warning, notice, danger or war. Drums can be used to cause anarchy and they can also be used to settle disputes.

The Yorubas believe that drums are an intermediary between them and Olodumare (God) and they use them as communication with God. There are times when barren women meet with drummers so that they can say prayers to God through the drums.

In Yoruba culture, the drums get into the mood to speak whenever the necessary rites are performed. 

History of the drum

The djembe drum is probably the most influential and basic of all talking drums. Originally, it dates back to 500 AD and was originally created as a sacred drum to be used during  healing ceremonies, rites of passages, ancestral worship, warrior rituals and social dances.

In Yoruba mythology, the origin of the drums can be traced to the gods and it is said that Obatala who is the most creative of the Yoruba gods must have carved the very first Agba Drum.

Agba drum which is a very sacred drum is only found in the palace, shrine or any other sacred area of the Awo initiates. It was only played by the chief priest or any qualified drummer but never by a woman. There are also other sacred drums like bata, gudugudu & Agba Drum.

Balufon Drum

The Balufon is another version of the ancient Agba drum. This drum is used during a dance dedicated to the deity of crafts and culture called Obalufon and the dance is very important to the people of Remo, Ogun state in Nigeria.

Historically, the drum has always been played only by the men and the women only danced to its rhythm. The men that played the drum did not wear clothes but only tied shaki or Aso Oke to beat the drum but that is not the case any longer

In Sagamu where I come from, the people perform the Balufon dance during coronation ceremonies and other special occasions even up till date. Incidentally, this dance was also performed during my father's Ewusi of Makun Sagamu coronation ceremony when he ascended the throne of his forefathers.

Indeed no king can ascend the throne without hearing the sounds of the dream that ushers him to ascend the throne.

I had to ask my father as the king (after necessary rites were performed) to invite the Balufon perdormers to showcase the sarced drum at Golcabash 2019, an annual event I organise to showcase our Culture & Tradition. 

Balufon dancers and drummers performing at Golcabash 2019.

Balufon drummers

Balufon dancers