Olubadan cautions against violence as Egungun festival begins today

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, has warned all residents against violence during the yearly Egungun festival, which begins today.

The monarch said the annual festival is a celebration of Ibadan custom and tradition. He urged all Egunguns and their followers to conduct themselves peacefully and should not turn the festival into an avenue to unleash terror and violence on the people.

Oba Adetunji stated that the law enforcement agents have assured the people of their readiness to maintain law and order by arresting and prosecuting offenders with intent to cause mayhem during the festival.

He said: “As a monarch, my appeal to our people is to celebrate the festival within the ambit of the law. Also, I will like to persuade our people to avoid use of dangerous weapons like guns, daggers, machetes and broken bottles not only during the festival but also after it, as the long arm of the law would not spare any merchant of violence.”

Last year, about 18 vehicles were destroyed around Akuro and Igbonna areas of Ibadan when some masquerades and their followers engaged street urchins in a free-for-all, leaving residents to tell tales of woes.

He urged the masquerades and their followers to follow the routes already lined up for them by the law enforcement agents, saying going to market places and highly congested areas might put people in harm’s way.

Originally slated to begin on June 4, this year, the Egungun festival had to be shifted till July 3 due to unfavourable security reports.

The masquerades are expected to pay traditional homage to the Olubadan in his palace on the first day and some other High Chiefs in their family houses to offer them prayers at different dates.