FESTIVALS IN IJEBU

 AGEMO

 

     The Ijebu people are the ‘omo alagemo merindinlogun” (children of the sixteen Agemo masquerades).  The Agemo Deity is one of the traditional festivals that unite the Ijebu annually. It is celebrated between the month of July and August when the Agemo priests converged at Ijebu-Ode to offer prayers, sacrifice and felicitate with one another for witnessing another year.

The 16 Agemo come out every July and they all meet at Ijebu-Ode before moving to Agbala Imosan, for parts of the rites. The Agemo of Ijebu-Isiwo is the LEADER of all AGEMO in IJEBU LAND. Women are forbidden from seeing the Agemo on their way to Ijebu-Ode. A public announcement is made on radio and television to inform everyone the exact time Agemo will be moving.

 There are sixteen prominent Agemo masquerades of Ijebuland who have priestly duties along with dancing at Agbala Imosan and Ijebu Ode.

The Agemo are:  Tami (Odogbolu), Olumoro (Imoro), Serefusi (Igbile), Posa (Imosan), Moko (Okun), Alofe (Ijesa-Ijebu), Onugbo (Okenugbo), Iju (Imosan), Lapen (Oru), Magodo (Aiyepe), Bajelu (Imuku), Lubamisan (Ago-lwoye), Petu (Isiwo), Ogegbo (Ibonwon), ldobi (Ago-Iwoye), Nopa (Imushin).

OJUDE OBA

The Ileya festival is typically followed by two days for the Ojude Oba celebration in Ijebu-Ode and three days for the Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Isiwo. Early in the morning, horse-drawn carriages pulled by gorgeous, antique carts are frequently seen being paraded through the streets of Ijebu Ode before being taken to the king's palace to celebrate. It is a celebration whose major goal is for the people of Ijebu to unite under one roof in honor of their Monarch.

 

ORO

This festival is usually held in the month of June/July every year. It is used to cleanse the communities of bad omen. It usually comes up before the Agemo festival to prepare the ground for the Alagemo and expel evil spirit as well as epidemics out of the community.

It is believed that communities are safe after Oro festival (Igbalu) and so "Eiye a ke bi eiye and Eran a ke bi eran.” (Birds will chirp like birds, animals cry like animals)

Women are not allowed to witness the Oro, who comes out mainly at night, when women naturally are expected to stay indoors.

LEGURU

Leguru worship typically takes place in August, albeit it is no longer a widely observed celebration.

The festival was held in honor of the courage and sacrifice of the Onisemu Leguru, who voluntarily gave his life to prevent the lagoon from engulfing Ijebu Ode. According to traditional tales, the town was then threatened by the Lagoon engulfing the entire area, and as was foreseen, the town would only develop as a port (not habitable as it is at present).

Leguru, it was told, was a revered priest who chose to offer himself as a sacrifice when Ifa warned of the dire consequences of keeping the water in the town.

Leguru performed the divination and was then not prepared to change or twist the facts as revealed by Ifa that he (Leguru) was the one that could save the town by sacrificing himself.  People still claim to hear him perform divination (under water) around a portion of the Lagoon at Epe. 

OBIRIN OJOWU

Also celebrated is the Obinrin Ojowu (Ebi) festival, which usually falls between February and March of every year, coinciding with the beginning of planting season. Obinrin Ojowu is celebrated during the first week of every third month of the year by the people of Ijebu Ode in compliance with the directive of Ogborogannida who was also known as Obanta by some and Ajagunla by others

The Olowu is the priest of Obinrin Ojowu who directs the rites and takes responsibility for its worship.  Before the Obinrin Ojowu celebration, the Olowu would have had to consult with the Awujale and secure his consent on three different occasions. He will then pass death sentence on dogs that have no palm fronds around their necks. The Iroko tree at Odo-Esa is very important to devotees of the Obinrin Ojowu as some rites are performed under it and a dog is usually killed and hung on it throughout the year.  Also associated with the festival is the Woro carnival (which usually takes people round the community)  

The celebration of Obinrin Ojowu starts on the first day with a walk that is done in the night – “irindeoru”- during which the youth of the town carry the traditional eguntan (light), set up fire in front of Obinrin Ojowu, and walk round the town till morning. They also sprinkle “ero” round the town and make atonement for peace. On the second day, they go for “woro” at Odokala after which they were received by the representatives of the Awujale of Ijebuland.

The grand finale of Obirin Ojowu festival is when Olowa Iberu goes to Isewu and presents Obirin Ojowu to the representatives of the Awujale.

Sacrifices are made at the point where Enisemu, otherwise known as Leguru, was said to have sat on a mat centuries ago and driven away water from Ijebu Ode