IBADAN – The Olubadan of Ibadan, Moshood Olalekan Balogun, has taken the decision to suspend the ongoing Egungun festival in response to reports of violence, arson, and looting in the capital city of Oyo state.
The Egungun festival is an annual communal ceremony held in southwestern Nigeria to honor Yoruba ancestors, with “Egungun” referring to masquerades in the Yoruba language.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his personal media aide, Oladele Ogunsola, Balogun revealed that the atrocities committed during the festival were the work of hoodlums exploiting the cover of the event in Ibadan.
The traditional ruler has summoned all masquerade leaders, known as “Alaagbaa” in Ibadan, to an emergency meeting scheduled for July 17 at the historic Aliiwo palace in Agodi.
Expressing sadness over the reported incidents of violence that marred the annual festival, Balogun described the situation as regrettable and a direct affront to his palace.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the Olubadan had already condemned the violence that occurred during the festival in the Alafara area of Ibadan.
“As if the warning was just a blabbing, the same thing was reported on Saturday on a scale that made the previous one a child’s play,” Ogunsola said.
“I warned seriously against what is happening when the festival was to commence and the assurances I got then were that nothing untoward would accompany the festival.
“But the reports coming to me have been at variance with those assurances I earlier got from the masquerades’ leaders.
“No responsible leader would fold his arms when majority of those subjects one superintendents over are in agony and living in perpetual fear just because of the activities of a few misguided elements who find it difficult to be law abiding.
“This is why the suspension clause has to be invoked and how long it lasts would be determined by the outcome of the meeting of Monday afternoon.
“I’m for peace and there’s zero tolerance for whatever it is that will not give my people peace of mind.”
He called on the security agencies to maintain peace and order wile charging them that “whoever flouts the suspension order under whatever guise, must be handled like a criminal”.