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Eyo festival
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Eyo Bajulaiye Ineso masqureade in a residential area of Lagos near the Teslim Balogun Stadium. The Eyo Festival or Adamu Orisha Play is a Yoruba festival unique to Lagos, Nigeria. [1] In modern times, it is presented as a family outing and tourist event.[2] is usually performed in Lagos Island. The word "Eyo" also refers to the masquerades that come out during the festival. The origins of this observance are connected to the secret societies of Lagos[3] . It is widely believed that Eyo is the forerunner of the modern day carnival in Brazil.[4] 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 Iga

Idunganran. The white-clad Eyo masquerades represent sprits of the dead, and are referred to as "agogoro Eyo" (literally: "tall Eyo").[5]

An Eyo Iga Olowe Salaye masquerade jumping. The first procession in Lagos was on 20 February 1854, to commemorate Oba Akintoye.
[6]

Here, the participants all pay homage to the Oba (King) of Lagos. Eyo festival takes place whenever occasion and tradition demand, but it is usually held as the final burial rites for a highly regarded chief.[1] Among the Yorubas, the indigenous religions have largely given way to Christianity and Islam, but the old festivals are still observed. The traditional leaders of the Yorubas are the Obas, who live in palaces and govern along with a council of ministers. The Obas' position is now mainly honorary, and their chiefly role is during the observance of the festivals.

Contents
[hide]

1 Order of events 2 Festival dates o 2.1 2011 3 Prohibited Item List 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References

[edit] Order of events

A full week before the festival[4] (always a Sunday), the senior eyo group, the Adimu (identified by a black broad-rimmed hat), goes public with a staff, when this happens it means the event would take place on the following Saturday. Each of the four other important onesLaba (Red), Oniko (yellow), Ologede (Green), Agere (Purple)in this very order take their turns from Monday to Thursday.

[edit] Festival dates

[edit] 2011

November 26[7], commemorating Chief (prince) Yesufu Abiodun Oniru.

[edit] Prohibited Item List

Here is a list of Prohibited Items at the festival:[citation needed]

Okada: commercial motorcycles Bicycles Sandals Suku: A hairstyle that has the hair converged at the middle and then shoots upward but tips downward. Smoking

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

[edit] Gallery

Bridge pillars in Lagos showing Eyo figures

Eyo figure advertising upcoming festival

Members of the Eyo Iga Etti procession at the Eyo festival at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, including a man carrying a burning pot on his head.

The banner of the Eyo Iga Taiwo Olowo entering the TBS.

The banner of the Eyo Iga Opeluwa entering the TBS.

The banner of the Eyo Awise entering the TBS.

Masquerades in the Eyo Iga Etti procession.

Eyo Olokun masquerades at the TBS. Eyo Olokun are connected with Olokun, the Yoruba deity of the sea.

Children in costume at the festival.

Members of the Eyo Iga Etti procession.

Masquerades of the Eyo Iga Sasi entering the TBS in Lagos in procession.

A man carrying a burning pot on his head as part of a procession in a residential area of Lagos. Probably a member of Eyo Iga Etti.

Masquerades of the Eyo Iga Faji parading in the TBS.

A performer on stilts as part of the Eyo Agere Molokun procession parading in the TBS.

A packed lunch brought by the royal family for the 2011 Eyo festival, commemorating Chief (prince) Yesufu Abiodun Oniru.

Water bottles and a plastic bag brought by the royal family for the 2011 Eyo festival, commemorating Chief (prince) Yesufu Abiodun Oniru.

A bus with Eyo masquerades painted on the back, with the slogan "Eko o ni baje" (Lagos will not spoil).

[edit] See also

Festivals in Nigeria

[edit] References
1. ^ a b "Nigerian Festivals". OnlineNigeria.com. http://www.onlinenigeria.com/festivals/. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 2. ^ "The Lagos Carnival". Lagos Carnival Website. Lagos State Government. http://www.lagoscarnival.com/home.html. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 3. ^ F. W. Butt-Thompson; author, sketches by the (2005). West African secret societies : their organisations, officials and teaching. Whitefish: Kessinger Publ.. ISBN 9780766157361. http://books.google.com/books? id=jF5ILLWNHosC&lpg=PA312&dq=Orisha%20adamu %20eyo&pg=PA236#v=onepage&q=orisha&f=false. 4. ^ a b http://www.travelintelligence.com/travel-writing/2919/Africa-and-MiddleEast/Nigeria/Lagos/Lagos/The-Eyo-Festival.html 5. ^ "EYO: Its purpose and role in the history of Lagos". Eyo Festival Lagos website. http://eyofestivallagos.com/origin.php. Retrieved 24 November 2011. 6. ^ Williams, Lizzie (2008). Nigeria (New ed. ed.). Chalfont St. Peter: Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 148. ISBN 9781841622392. http://books.google.com/books? id=fwuQ71ZbaOcC&pg=PA148&dq=oba+akintoye+1854&hl=en&ei=mCHNTs Q8zc7hBK7jxaEI&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6 AEwAA#v=onepage&q=oba%20akintoye%201854&f=false. 7. ^ "Eyo Festival 2011: Orisha Adamu Eyo Masquerades on Lagos Island". Nigeria Entertainment News. November 23, 2011. http://mannamart.blogspot.com/2011/11/eyo-festival-2011-orisha-adamueyo.html. Retrieved 23 November 2011. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php? title=Eyo_festival&oldid=462755949" View page ratings Rate this page What's this? Trustworthy

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Lagos Holds Eyo Festival Amid Tight Security

George Okogie 27 November 2011

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The Lagos state Governor Mr. Bababtunde Fashola at the weekend reiterated the need for the country to harness its tourism potentials to get more foreign exchange earnings and put the country on world tourism map. Fashola who spoke the 2011 Eyo festival celebration in the state , in honour of the Late Pa Yesufu Abiodun Oniru, at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) noted that the country has what it takes overtake most countries whose domain had since become tourists attractions and destination in the world. He said the Adamu Orishe play known as held amid tight security and many other carnivals in the country can draw more tourists into the country, urging the Federal Government to give priority attention to the problem of poor security in the country to help growth in the sector. According to him, " Eyo festival is one of the foremost festivals which identifies us as a people . They are part of our beliefs and distinguishing emblems . Our culture is a summation of our beliefs and learned behavior s that must be jealously guarded and transmitted from the parents to future generation". The governor explained that the staging of Eyo festival provides ample opportunity for the state to tourists across the world who seizes the opportunity to partake in the festivities.

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NEWS, REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS

Eyo Festival 2011: Orisha Adamu Eyo Masquerades on Lagos Island The Lagos State Government has announced February 5, 2011 as the date for the next Eyo Festival. The Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, Mr Halloway Disu, announced that the 2011 Eyo festival otherwise known as Orisha Adamu play will be held in honor of another notable Lagosian. The Eyo festival is not strictly an annual event as this will be the 6th in the last ten years. It is usually the final event of the burial ceremony of a notable Lagos Chief. The 2010 event was in honor of Chief TOS Benson.

The festival is held on Lagos Island, in the area around the palace of the Oba of Lagos. Although the formal Eyo procession is between Iga Idungaran and Idumota, during the Eyo, Lagos Island will be closed to vehicular traffic to enable the masquerades and onlookers the freedom and safety necessary to enjoy the spectacular display of culture that is sure to occur. Although all the Eyo masquerades dress in white flowing gown-like attires, the colors on their hats separate them into distinct groups. The Eyo is a highly structured event steeped in tradition. There are five important Eyo groups, each with a characteristic color. The first and most important group, the Adimu, wear black hats. A week before the Eyo day (this time, on Sunday, January 30, 2011), the Adimu march in public with their staffs. This is the traditional announcement that an Eyo festival is imminent. The other four groups take turns marching for the next four days, Laba (red) on Monday, Oniko (yellow ) on Tuesday, Ologede (green) on Wednesday and finally Agere (purple

on

Thursday).

The Eyo masquerades carry a staff with which they have been known to beat onlookers or passers-by. This does not occur randomly, so it is important to take note of the common Eyo taboos as their contravention is the usual cause of violent interactions between Eyo and spectators. 1. No woman is allowed to have the Suku festival during the Eyo (at least not along the Eyo route). 2. Bicycles , motorcycles and other vehicular traffic are prohibited.

3. Those directly along the procession sidewalk are advised to be barefoot. Safety and Security During the Eyo Festival 2011. The Eyo costume is not difficult to make.

Consequently on Eyo days, pseudo-masquerades are seen all over Lagos state, extorting money and posing a threat to public peace. The Olumegbon of Lagos, Chief Fatai Lawal Olumegbon, has announced that during this year's 2011 Orisha Adamu play, any Eyo found outside the island will be arrested. He assured the general public that efforts to assure the safety and security of lives and property during Eyo Festival 2011 have been put in place. He invited the general public to come and experience another Orisha Adamu Play. culled Chikaelo By: 02/02/2011 by Okoye Unoma Carolee Asomugha

News: LAGOS WITNESSES COLOURFUL DISPLAYS AT EYO CARNIVAL

Date Posted: 2011-11-28 09:52:02

. ..As Fashola underscores role of festivals in stimulating entrepreneurship, economic opportunities A spectacular display of colour, dance, culture and tradition was on Saturday showcased at the Tafawa Balewa Square TBS by various Eyo groups as Lagos held the Adamu Orisha play in memory of Chief Yesufu Oniru. Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) in his address after the filing past of the various Eyo groups affirmed that the Adamu Orisha play is a festival that the State Government will continue to cherish and uphold from generation to generation. Also not left out of the fun filled day were foreign tourists and children who turned out in very large numbers in the uniquely designed double decker tourist buses. Governor Fashola, who spoke after the well co-ordinated

march of the various Groups belonging to prominent families in Lagos and the five deities, said his administration is mindful of the economic effects of festivals and tourism destinations, adding that the Adamu Orisha has not been an exception in stimulating entrepreneurship and other economic opportunities for the people. A large crowd of people made up of gaily dressed Lagosians from all walks of life thronged the venue to witness the Orisa play organized in honour of a former Chief of Iruland and Olori Oloye of Lagos, Chief Yesufu Oniru who lived between 1864 and 1984. According to Governor Fashola: the Eyo festival is one of the foremost festivals which identify us as a people; they are part of our beliefs and distinguishing emblems. Our culture is a summation of our beliefs and learned behaviours that must be jealously guarded and transmitted from the present to future generations. Governor Fashola said the Adamu Orisha play which is also known as Eyo Festival is a cultural experience that is unique to Lagos Island within a multi-cultural Nigeria where different cultures and traditions abound. He explained that the play is staged to celebrate the transition of an Oba of Lagos or in recognition of the contributions of a great Lagosian to the development of the

State. The Adamu Orisha is one of the richest and proudest statements of the flamboyance, elegance and colour of Lagos State, he added. He recalled that the late Chief Yesufu Oniru in whose honour the Eyo was being staged was a leader who through the instruments of law sought to ensure that his people were not deprived of what was theirs. The Governor added that the late Chief who was also the father of the present Oniru of Iruland, Oba Idowu Abiodun won many legal battles against the acquisition of his ancestral property by the then emerging colonial authorities. As in Eyo TOS Benson, which was held in April 2009, this festival is different from other performances since it is also designed to accommodate a larger audience without diluting the precepts and core values of the play. Whilst the Eyo festival provides an occasion for us to celebrate, it is also important for us to be introspective. We should remember this festivals significance which is largely within the context of preparations and performance of formal acts by the Oba of Lagos and the elders of the craft, he reiterated. The Governor also used the occasion to appeal to the people to complete the Adamu Orisha play by engaging in a massive

cleanup of the State starting from Saturday evening. The Eyo festival featured a procession by several Eyo groups who were beautifully dressed in colourful hats, robes and wrapper with a staff. The groups danced and chanted various songs while greeting people by touching them with the tip of the staff they held. Among the Eyo groups which featured in the procession were Jakande, Elegushi, Ajiweforisha, Oshodi, Etti, Salawe, Faji, Kakawa, Sogunro, Taiwo- Olowo, Bajulaiye Asogbon, Suenu, Bashua, Erelu Kuti, Egbe, Shaasi, Asajon, Eletu Odibo, Aromire, Obanikoro, Oshodi- Bukku, Onisiwo, Bajulu, Onitana, Oloto, Onilado, Akogun Olofin, Balogun okolo Others are Apena, Eletu Akitoye, Oluwa, Alaagba, Eletu Saba, Aiyemosan, Agbeje, Olusi,

Olorogun Ide, Olorogun Adodo, Onimole, Olumegbon, Sasore, Onilegbale, Opeluwa, Iwashe, Ijebu, Ologun Sobaloju, Ashesi, Ogunmade,

Modile, Onisemo, Kosoko, Onikoyi, Awise, Ojon, Ojora, Onitolo, Olokun and Oniru. The five traditional Eyo deity groups of Eyo Agere, Eyo Ologede, Eyo Oniko, Eyo Alakete Pupa and Eyo Adamu Orisha rounded off the displays. Prominent among those present at the occasion were the First Military Governor of Lagos State, Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson (Rtd), members of the State Executive Council,

members

of

the

National

Assembly,

State

House

of

Assembly, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Idowu Oniru, the Ojomu of Ajiranland, Oba Yekini Akinloye, the Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Elegushi of Ikateland and the Asoju Oba of Lagos, Chief Molade OkoyaThomas. The gaily turned out people from all walks of life within and outside the country were also entertained during the show by traditional music and oldies of Lagos from top acts like ageless Pa Fatai Rolling Dollars among others.